Stephen A. Smith Chides LeBron for Waiting So Long to Admit He’s Vaccinated: ‘People Were Dying in Our Community

Throughout his 18-year NBA career, LeBron James has used his platform to push social and political messages that he feels are important.

Despite most of the country being vaccinated, it remains a polarizing topic and one that LeBron chose to stay quiet about for months. Until this week, when the NBA superstar admitted he got vaccinated. But ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is questioning what took him so long?

“I don’t think he needs to be more vocal now, but what he did yesterday, he should have done a long time ago,” Smith said Wednesday morning on First Take.

After acknowledging his research led to him and his family getting vaccinated, LeBron said everyone has their own choice and he won’t talk about “what they should do.” It was a surprise stance for LeBron, who frequently speaks out on the societal issues he feels strongly about, especially those impacting the Black community.

“He is an individual that has been an incredible role model on so many levels and needs to be applauded for all of that,” Smith said. “He took the liberty to take the bull by the horn and be front and center on a plethora of issues that affect our community.”

“I was hesitant to take the vaccine myself,” Smith admitted. “A guy by the name of Dennis Pullin…brings me to an ICU where I saw nothing in there but Black people because so many Black people were hesitant to take the vaccine…when you saw the detrimental impact that it was having on our community, that’s when I felt compelled to step up and take the vaccine.”

Even if LeBron had similar vaccine hesitancy, Smith says the NBA superstar should have done his research early enough to be a leader within the community and express how he approached the decision.

“People were dying in our community,” Smith said. “I feel like anybody who had a voice should have done their research sooner than later and made sure they made a decision and moved forward and at least be open about what YOU chose to do.”

“Vaccines been out for a damn year a near now, and we just heard from LeBron James yesterday,” Smith added.

Watch above via ESPN