Stephen A. Smith isn’t holding back. In fact, he’s fuming over LeBron James’ recent ad campaign, which teased a major announcement but turned out to be a Hennessy commercial. During First Take, Smith ripped into LeBron’s stunt, calling it “corny,” “cringey,” and tone-deaf. “You’re promoting an alcoholic beverage and trying to give people the impression this may be your final season,” Smith said. “If you play like garbage when it really counts, I’m going to think about that Hennessy commercial and wonder if you were drinking something before the game.”
The controversy stems from LeBron’s teaser video titled “The Second Decision.” The video was a deliberate callback to his 2010 “Decision” special announcing his move from Cleveland to Miami. The cryptic teaser drove fans into a frenzy, many believing a retirement announcement was imminent. Instead, it was revealed to be a cleverly masked ad for Hennessy VSOP.
Stephen A. Smith Calls LeBron Ad "Corny"
One fan even sued him for $865 after mistaking the ad for a retirement announcement, claiming that he never would have purchased it if he wasn't going to retire. The fan bought two tickets to a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, he claims his tickets aren't worth very much anymore given that LeBron is not actually retiring.
Furthermore, some seem to think that Smith has a point and that the ad was misleading. "He ain’t lying it was lame, ppl bought tickets thinking it was his last game," one fan wrote under The Neighborhood Talk's post. Meanwhile, others believed that the ad was harmless and clearly a marketing stunt. "So we are going to act like we don’t kno what marketing is!?" another person commented.
Regardless, it makes sense that LeBron’s every move is magnified. Given his stature in the NBA at age 40 and entering what could be the final chapter of his on‐court career, fans are paying extra attention. Smith argues that stunts like this only add noise and distract from what should matter: performance, legacy, and respect for fans.
LeBron has not publicly responded to Smith’s latest comments.
