BREAKING: Stephen A. Smith And Kai Cenat Clash Over LeBron James Vs. Michael Jordan Debate

Things got spicy between Stephen A. Smith and popular Twitch streamer Kai Cenat on ESPN’s First Take when LeBron James became a topic.

On March 6, Cenat was a special guest on the sports debate show. He called out Smith about his commentary on James after the sports commentator stated he wouldn’t be invited back for his thoughts about Leandro Barbosa, according to Vibe.

“When it comes to LeBron James, you start hating! That’s how I feel ’cause I feel like you’re more of an older-generation type of dude. You like Michael Jordan, cool,” Cenat told Smith. “But listen, every time there’s a debate going on with Michael Jordan and LeBron James, you always gotsomething to say about LBJ.”

“And I’m here to say bro, LeBron’s better than Michael Jordan,” he added to conclude his point. “I said it, bro.”

In response, Smith warned the 23-year-old again that he would “ban” him from the show.

“Something is wrong with you right now! First of all, don’t you even think about it,” he said to Cenat for choosing James over Michael Jordan. “Don’t you even think of coming on this show with that Kai! Don’t you do it!”

“Michael Jordan ain’t never have 50,000 points, okay?! Let’s talk about that real quick, okay?” Cenat replied. Smith quipped, “He ain’t played 25 years.”

Smith then went on to give what he thought felt was a lesson to his younger counterpart.

“This is the problem with the young whippersnappers like yourself,” he said, per Vibe. “We started the show raving about his unparalleled greatness. We give him all the credit in the world and there’s some whippersnapper like yourself who comes on the show going, ‘You hatin’, you hatin’!’ It’s like wait a minute, you want us to give him a bib and an apron, too? We get that the man is one of the greatest players ever!”

They quickly diffused the situation with humor, shifting the conversation to Smith’s basketball skills. The episode also delved into topics like Kyrie Irving’s recent injury and playful comparisons between Cenat and Kevin Hart.​

Oddly enough, James had a heated exchange with Smith ahead of last Thursday’s basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. According to Smith, the four-time NBA champion confronted him about comments he didn’t like about his son, Bronny James.

“That was LeBron James coming up to me, unexpectedly, I might add, to confront me about making sure that I mind what I say about his son. That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me. That was a parent. That was a father,” Smith said during Friday’s episode of First Take as the footage of the encounter played on the screen. “And I can’t sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in any way in that regard.”

He explained they could’ve easily resolved the matter in private, saying: “LeBron James knows how to get in contact with me if he wanted to. He never called. ‘Cause had he called and wanted to talk to me, I would’ve accepted that call. Had he wanted to see me, I would’ve flown out and I would’ve seen him, and I would’ve had a conversation man-to-man.”

Before closing out, Smith mentioned that he only wants to support Bronny and doesn’t “root against him.”

“I have nothing but the best wishes for Bronny James,” he said. “I wish him nothing but the best. I hope that he flourishes into an NBA star.”