Savannah James Fires Back at ESPN & Stephen A. Smith After Bronny’s Standout Lakers Performance
Following Bronny James’ impressive breakout game with the Lakers, Savannah James had a strong message for those who doubted him. Taking aim at ESPN and Stephen A. Smith, she didn’t hold back in defending her son. Her response is making waves across the sports world.
Bronny and Savannah James (Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Bronny James has faced relentless scrutiny throughout his rookie NBA season, but his latest performance may have silenced some doubters- at least for now. The 20-year-old Los Angeles Lakers guard delivered his best game yet against the Milwaukee Bucks, prompting his mother, Savannah James, to send a subtle yet pointed message to his critics.
Despite the Lakers’ lopsided 118–89 defeat, Bronny’s individual performance stood out. After weeks of questions surrounding his place in the league, he logged his most significant minutes of the season and showcased the poise defining his basketball journey. Savannah wasted no time highlighting her son’s progress, using social media to amplify his moment.
A Mother’s Message To The Critics
Savannah James Fires Back (Photo Via Instagram/ @mrs_savannahrj)
Following the game, Savannah took to Instagram to share Bronny’s stat line, tagging ESPN, NBA on ESPN, and SportsCenter. Her caption? A direct but understated shot at those questioning her son’s merit. Quoting Bronny’s own words about handling criticism, she wrote: “Mean what you say, and say what you mean ???”
Though she didn’t name anyone directly, the message seemed aimed at ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, one of Bronny’s loudest critics. Smith questioned whether the young guard belonged in the NBA, a stance that led to a heated courtside exchange between him and LeBron James earlier this month.
Bronny James, selected 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, has acknowledged the weight of public scrutiny. “I see everything that people are saying,” he admitted recently. “And people think like I’m a f—— robot, like I don’t have any feelings or emotions.”
Savannah’s post resonated across social media, with fans and analysts interpreting it as a well-earned clapback. While Bronny’s journey is far from over, Thursday’s performance showed what he can become. For Savannah James, it was a graceful but firm reminder that she was paying attention and not afraid to speak up.
VIDEO: Some Dude Just Dropped The Cold Hard Truth On Why All Of These NFL Prospects Are “Dating White Women”
Unless this is your first day in America, then you know race relations in this country dominate just everything, and that includes NBA and NFL drafts
During the most recent NFL Draft in Detroit, social media was buzzing as athletes showed up to the red carpet event with their girlfriends and family. Many of the incoming NFL rookies were African-American and were spotted with white women, which has become the usual theme for years.
The same thing happens with the NBA Draft.
This year, the discourse on the NFL Draft and NBA Draft has gotten even louder as African-American women openly pondered why so many of the players never have a partner that is the same race as them.
One guy on TikTok decided to answer that question by revealing that the vast majority of his division-1 friends in college or headed to the league are dating or married to white women and explained why.
He stated that some of them had told him that their white girlfriend looked up to Taylor Swift while their girlfriend looked up to Megan The Stallion. He then states the guy asks how many white women he has seen doing the Megan Thee Stallion challenge as opposed to Black women.
He then dove into another story of a friend who relayed that his Black girlfriend started to request money from him as soon as she found out about his NIL money. She wanted her hair and nails done. He then added that the Black women would be upset if they went to places like Chipotle, and she demanded steak houses.
