Stephen A. Responds to LeBron's Troll Post over Boxing Video and Remarks to Pat McAfee

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith opened up First Take on Thursday by furthering his war of words with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

Not surprisingly, Smith took exception to LeBron making light of a video in which the television personality was honing his boxing skills.

"In the aftermath of that interview, what does he do? He puts out some page about me boxing and all of this other stuff from a decade ago with two torn rotator cuffs," Smith said. "Fine, no problem. It's a very, very embarrassing video. I'll be the first to say it. ... Why do I bring that up? Because that's how petty you've become? You're LeBron James. You that butthurt over the things I'm saying that you would post that video? When has LeBron James ever done something like that? But suddenly you're doing that as it pertains to me. This man is in his feelings. I wonder why."

Smith asserted that James' general disdain could stem from the fact he considers LeBron to be the clear second-best player ever behind Michael Jordan.

The First Take star already unloaded on the four-time MVP after James appeared Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show. He called LeBron a "liar" for how LBJ has characterized the comments he made regarding Bronny James back in January.

"There's a lot of shady stuff that he does," he said of James. "And one of the things is this passive aggressiveness. And the two-facedness and smile in your face and dig you in behind the back. I happen to know that about him, which is why I don't like him, and he don't like me."

On First Take, Smith went a little deeper with that notion and told James there are "things that I haven't brought up."

"I never brought up really and never really discussed why you were not at Kobe Bryant's memorial service," he said. "I never really brought up or discussed why you did not attend Dwyane Wade's Hall of Fame induction when that man was directly responsible for you capturing a championship for the first time in your career. I brought up none of that."

Smith also furthered the idea this has all been carefully orchestrated by James and his representatives.

"First of all, let's understand something to the viewing public and America and beyond, this was planned," Smith said. "Rich Paul was on Pat McAfee's show about 10 days earlier or whatever. Rich Paul, for everybody that knows, is the founder of Klutch Sports. He's a strategic thinker. He didn't go there by accident.

"You're there talking with Pat McAfee and the next thing you know within two weeks, after obviously a negotiation took place, LeBron James is on it. We know a negotiation took place because we understand that since LeBron had Uninterrupted—or whatever the hell it was called—he's been about control. He's been about making sure that things are his way. Us as the media members know it because of how his behavior has changed since he's had his own media outlet in terms of how he treats the media."

One downside of being in a pitched battle with the single biggest personality in sports media is that you can always count on getting a swift response, one that will be broadcast to a massive audience.

It's safe to assume James isn't planning to offer a direct counter to Smith on First Take. He'll surely find a different venue for his next salvo.