There’s nothing as challenging as playing in the NBA for over 20 years. However, LeBron James, while in his 21st season in the league, isn’t known to back down on challenges. The recent matchup between the LA Lakers and the Houston Rockets, though won by the Lakers, couldn’t end without a mix of a fracas between LeBron and Rockets Head Coach.
Amidst the words exchanged between LeBron and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham has spat a fiery response to the incident. Meanwhile, a top NBA analyst for ESPN shared his hot take on the same viral fracas.
Darvin Ham’s fiery answer to Ime Udoka’s LeBron James insult
The Lakers head coach Darvin Ham was very clear with his words when he discussed the recent clash between LeBron and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, during the Lakers and Rockets matchup. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Lakers’ coach after his team’s 107-97 victory, shared his explicit reaction to the clash.
According to Ramona Shelburne, “Darvin Ham essentially said to me… I have to have it a little censored here on television here, ‘There’s no crying B words here. Tell ’em Saginaw said so. Now Darvin Ham is from Saginaw. LeBron James is his best player, you come at his best player like that, there is a reaction.”
According to Shelburne of ESPN, Darvin’s response carried a no-nonsense attitude, which reiterated that there is no space for “Crying b****,” on the Lakers’ territory. Again, Darvin’s relation to Saginaw, which is his hometown, was obvious in his statement that cited a deep sense of loyalty and support for his best player, LeBron.
Darvin’s message also emphasized that when someone like Udoka attacks LeBron with disrespectful words, there are bound to be consequences, and the two teams’ rivalry might carry the weight of this clash for years to come. Additionally, the leaked audio clip disclosed that the word “b****h” was mentioned when the duo of LeBron and Udoka had the clash. Ham, with on-court experience, had to step in for his best player.
Stephen A Smith’s take on LeBron James-Ime Udoka situation
The clash between LeBron and Rockets’ coach Ime Udoka has gone viral and has continued to receive enormous interest and attention, as fans and analysts alike air their respective opinions on the incident. The latest person to share opinion is no-nonsense NBA analyst, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN. Stephen Smith recently aired his opinion by taking sides with Rockets’ coach Ime Udoka on the incident.
Stephen said, “It was ridiculous. There was no cause for that ejection. Secondly, LeBron walked over to him. And I have no problem with Udoka basically saying to stop b-tching.” Stephen expressed his displeasure as Udoka got ejected from the game.
He further stated that the referee had no business in what happened, as the duo couldn’t have engaged in physical combat. When Stephen addressed Udoka’s reference to LeBron as a “Soft a-boy,” he pointed out that LeBron approached Udoka, which the Rockets’ coach had to simply defend himself.
Udoka during his presser, downplayed the incident, saying that his anger was targeted at his players, who he felt, were being bullied and outmuscled easily by the Lakers’ players. The Possibility that the tension might be high, when the two teams meet again on 29th January 2024.
