Arenas thinks the beef between James and Smith has been building up for years.

LeBron James’ altercation with Stephen A. Smith during an NBA game caught many by surprise. However, Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA player turned media personality, was not among those shocked.

In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, the 43-year-old shared his perspective on the incident. “Agent Zero” suggested this had been brewing for years, making the clash long overdue.

“Listen, it’s probably just years of years of s*** build-up, right? You’re talking about LeBron James, who’s been in the league for 22 years, right? Guys like that, him, Kobe [Bryant], [Michael] Jordan, they remember everything you say,” said Arenas.

James’ razor-sharp memory

We all know that LBJ is considered one of basketball’s greatest minds, with an incredible ability to recall even the most random plays from his more than two-decade-long NBA career. This skill is truly remarkable. But as “Agent Zero” pointed out, “King James” doesn’t just remember plays — he also holds onto criticism.

Arenas mentioned that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, has a sharp memory for past slights and negative comments. While this legendary group often dealt with such criticism in a “passive-aggressive” way, Gil said that sometimes one wrong thing being said is all it takes to spark something bigger.

This can even happen when they “heard something differently” than it was actually meant, explained the former point guard, adding that we’re all “selective when we’re hearing s***.”

What “The Chosen One” likely heard, triggering the much-discussed on-court moment with Smith in New York City, was a slight against his son and Lakers teammate, LeBron James Jr., aka Bronny.

During a late January episode of “First Take,” Smith urged the NBA star “as a father” to stop Bronny, who is having a tough rookie season, from playing in the league.

After the elder James later confronted him, the ESPN personality confirmed it was to “make sure I mind what I say about his son.”

Gil says it’s must-see entertainment

The showdown in NYC marked the feud’s defining moment, but as noted earlier, it was just the climax of a broader, ongoing story. Similarly, the aftermath has been significant. Both James and Smith continued to fuel the fire, which has been playing out across various platforms — from podcasts and TV shows to social media.

For Arenas, who hosts his own podcast, “Gil’s Arena,” these developments represent something both fresh and highly profitable.

“I look at it as just all entertainment, and both sides are doing exactly what they’re supposed to do to capture that moment,” emphasized the former three-time NBA All-Star.

“It’s not like before, when the press just used to milk the players’ content in that viral moment. Now the players are doing it… In the past, LeBron wouldn’t even entertain anything like this, but we’re in new times now. Now he thinks it’s funny, so he’s doing his little bit of it,” added “Agent Zero.”

Ultimately, the NBA has seen a noticeable decline in TV ratings over the years. One way to regain interest could be this high-profile clash between two of the biggest names in their respective fields. It certainly doesn’t hurt. However, it’s crucial that such feuds don’t turn into personal attacks, which seems to have happened with Lebron and Stephen A.