'LeBron is still the most overprotected superstar in the history of the game' - Skip on his constant criticism of James

Renowned sports commentator and multimedia personality Skip Bayless is no stranger to controversy, especially regarding his opinions on all-time great LeBron James. In a recent appearance on the "All The Smoke" podcast, Bayless once again took aim at the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, calling him "the most overprotected superstar in the history of the game."

LeBron's staunchest critic

The native of Oklahoma City has been one of "The King's" staunchest critics since time immemorial. Skip has blasted different aspects of LeBron's game, from his subpar free-throw and three-point shooting to his infamous flameout in the 2011 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. And in a conversation with the show's hosts, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Bayless splashed more fuel on the fire.

"I still believe, to this moment, LeBron has been the most overprotected superstar in the history of the game," Skip declared.

While some may tout "The Chosen One" as the GOAT, Skip doesn't hesitate to point out his game's glaring flaws.

"He's a poor three-point shooter, and by his standards, he's a pathetic free-throw shooter at 74% for his career. Jordan was 84%. Magic, Bird—they were 90-ish percent. KD, 90-ish percent," Skip shared.

More than anything, though, Bayless has almost always pointed to James' numerous shortcomings in crunch time as a huge red flag that hoop fans seemingly ignore.

"There have been so many flameout moments for LeBron in his career," he remarked.

And when it comes to flameouts, none tops LBJ's eyebrow-raising performance in the 2011 NBA Finals, which disturbed many players, pundits, and fans. With the spotlight shining on him and his new team, the Miami Heat, James couldn't take the pressure and averaged only 17.8 points, shooting a dismal 32 percent from beyond the arc and 60 percent from the charity stripe. The Heat eventually lost that series, 4-2, losing the series' last three games.

Skip acknowledges LeBron's greatness

Despite his harsh criticism of James, Bayless acknowledges his undeniable greatness on the court. He even calls the four-time league MVP the best passer in the game today.

"I have constantly, consistently—though nobody wants to hear me do this—but I've said to this day, to this moment, he's still the best passer in basketball on a nightly basis," Bayless disclosed. "He will take my breath away twice a game with a pass he'll make where I'll say, 'That's just special. That's a gift.' He's a generational passer of the basketball."

Skip also mentioned how LeBron always leaves him awestruck with his savvy on the hardcourt, saying that the 6'9"forward has a basketball IQ on par with the iconic Magic Johnson.

At the end of the day, the former host of "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed" and "First Take" will always be critical of LBJ, arguably because of his admiration for the player the latter is always compared to: Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. After all, Bayless worked as a columnist for the Chicago Tribune and covered "His Airness" and his final season as a Bull, fittingly called "The Last Dance" in 1998.