"LeBron James needs to own the Cowboys" - Fans react to Stephen A. Smith ranking Steph Curry over Lakers star as ideal NBA franchise owner
Fans reacted to Stephen A. Smith ranking Steph Curry over LeBron James on his list of NBA stars that would make the best franchise owners. The ranking comes shortly after James and Smith publicly went back and forth about Smith's coverage of the league and comments made about James' son, Bronny.
Smith revealed his new list on ESPN's "First Take" Thursday where he broke down the five stars he would want to run an NBA team. The list was part of Smith's recurring segment, "Stephen A's-List" where he ranks players and teams based on certain prompts.
The list, which featured James at fourth and Curry at third, drew lots of reactions on X.
One user said, "Lebron is #1 in owning Stephen A," mocking the recent feud.
"LeBron need to own the cowboys we need a culture change n never to go back too," one fan wrote, defending James.
Another fan suggested LeBron James may be the owner of a future Las Vegas-based NBA franchise. James has expressed his desire to become an owner after he retires multiple times, and Vegas is one of the most likely markets to receive a team when the league expands.
"Bron is getting Vegas lol," they wrote.
Other fans were frustrated with the segment for reasons beyond just LeBron James. Some took issue with a basketball program as large as "First Take" spending airtime on what they view as superfluous lists and segments instead of talking about what's going on in the league.
One commentor wrote, "This is the dumbest segment I’ve ever seen."
"ESPN is terrible. They need to change it up," another user said.
One fan sarcastically commented that there must not be NBA news to cover if this is what Smith chose to focus on.
The fan wrote, "Must be a slow day."
LeBron James sends love to Jarrett Allen after Cavs big tries to recreate iconic dunk
LeBron James is known for his signature tomahawk dunk where he cocks back and slams the ball down with vicious authority. The iconic dunk has gained widespread acclaim, and fans and opposing teams alike hold their breath when James gets out in transition.
Despite being in his 22nd season, LeBron has maintained the ability to throw down "LeHammer" since his Cleveland days. Recently, a current Cavalier attempted to do the signature move with a less-than-picture-perfect recreation.
On Wednesday, the Cavaliers took on the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. In the final minutes of the Cavs' 124-105 win, center Jarrett Allen got loose on a breakaway and tried to imitate James' iconic dunk.
Allen dunked the ball with serious power but didn't quite reach the full extension that James does when he throws it down. He humbly admitted after the game that his attempt "wasn't close" in a humorous postgame interview clip.
The ordeal caught the attention of LeBron James himself who took to his Instagram story to give Allen praise for his attempt.
"You got it next time J.A... Love this dude!!!! GREAT ENERGY AND SPIRIT," James wrote on his story.
James recognized Allen's work ethic and attitude, making for a nice display of camaraderie between competitors.