As arguably the most outspoken member of the NBA media in the modern day and age, Smith took great offense with James’s comments. When Molly Qerim asked him for his thoughts on the matter, Smith straightened his suit and furrowed his brow with the noble air of a general riding into battle to fight for his comrades.

James' hard-hitting statement reached famed analyst Stephen A. Smith, who spared six minutes of First Take to answer the Lakers captain.

The conversation around the NBA's declining ratings reached a fever pitch during All-Star Weekend earlier this month. As fans continued to criticize - and tune out of the game - members of the sports media have tried to figure out how to fix things.