LaMelo Ball is set to face LeBron James for the first time in his career as the Charlotte Hornets will be visiting the Los Angeles Lakers later tonight. When asked about playing against the four-time NBA champion for the first time, Melo said he was ‘not really’ excited about it.
Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith thinks that the comment should bother James only a little bit because Ball did not show the respect that Lakers superstar deserves. At the same time, Smith said he did not think LaMelo had any bad intentions when making the comment.
“A little bit,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take in response to a question whether James should care about Ball’s comment. “What I mean by that is that you the King, right? There’s a level of deference and respect that is earned. You’ve been to the Final ten times, you’ve won four championships you’re four-time league MVP, clearly aiming for and looking for your fifth.
“And some young buck that just comes into the league is like you just like playing anybody else, you understand? Now I don’t think for one second LaMelo meant any disrespect. I mean, we know who pos is. You understand what I’m saying?” Smith said, when referred to LaVar Ball.
Both Smith and Max Kellerman agreed that the reaction would be completely different if such comment was made about Michael Jordan. “If it was Michael Jordan, he would cut a shot of the game in the midway through the second quarter, Stephen A., and he would be eating LaMelo’s heart out of his chest while it was still beating like he was in the Temple of Doom like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” Kellerman made a bold comparison.
