Yet if one were evaluating his contributions to the game of basketball, it would be difficult to identify those that were positive. Certainly, Smith and his tag team partner Skip Bayless contributed the rings-above-all mindset to the NBA and trashed multiple generations of stars along the way. Certainly, they have disparaged and demeaned, ranted and raged, all under the guise of ‘debate.’ What else?
He takes far more from the NBA than he has ever given; the only time he gives as good as he gets is when he is exchanging barbs with the league’s biggest stars. That includes just this week during the NBA Finals, when he made a point of diminishing Pacers G Tyrese Haliburton over a perceived slight. He went further earlier in the year, threatening to air dirty laundry of LeBron James and then making references to disputed claims about James’ attendance at Kobe Bryant’s 2020 memorial service — an insinuation for which he later apologized.
Smith’s threats are a particularly bizarre character trait. Whether Kevin Durant years ago or James earlier this season, Smith appears to believe he has something on these players — that his bully pulpit is one he can weaponize to not just criticize players when warranted, but to shame them; to harm their public standing, perceptions of their ability, and their careers.
27 comments
“____ will be better off without Stephen A. Smith.”
This is applicable in so many situations.
I stopped watching this type of garbage years ago
It’ll be great when we don’t have to deal with his terrible takes in the headlines every day.
I don’t think the majority disagree. Whenever fivehead is talking I either laugh or mute his ass.
Imagine if mods just banned SAS like they did Lonzo’s dad.
He’s not wrong, but also talking about Stephen A. Isn’t going to help get rid of him
Everyone is better off without trash ass temu Luda
Yea, but he’s only a symptom, not much will change with him out. You need to tear it all down and rebuild it.
Here is an idea.
Don’t watch any of them. Watch the games. Maybe watch the highlights on youtube or the news. Then get on with our lives instead of watching what a bunch of random guys think.
people act that if SAS is gone that they’ll replace him w/ someone tolerable.
no we’ll get Pat McAfee.
Judging by how often this forum posts about Stephen a? They can’t quit him
Dude just seems miserable.
I was watching the Finals with my wife (who doesn’t watch NBA very often, and she was like “what the hell is wrong with that guy? Is he on drugs?”
Stephen A and Skip Bayless are the reason why sports media is so toxic.
Nah. Outrage sells and everyone in the business knows it. Hell be replaced in an instant with someone just as bad if not worse if he was dropped
At this point I don’t have a strong opinion on SAS, because once my brain hears his voice, it tells me to stop looking at my TV and to start looking at my phone. It’s Pavlovian. Haven’t listened to this man speak in years. Thanks for the built-in phone break, SAS.
And Kendrick Perkins
No fucking shit
r/cfb banned some of the more vocal …. non serious talking heads.
I wish r/nba would do the same.
He doesn’t watch the games, he doesn’t do any sort of analysis, he picks fights when people call him out and makes things incredibly personal, and worst of all, his shtick where he just builds into a yelling rage is all he leans on. That stopped being funny ten years ago. Dude is a fucking hack, and the fact he’s getting paid so much says everything about the partnership between the NBA and ESPN.
Every time I see a reference to this no talent ass clown, it makes me miss Stuart Scott that much more. That’s what the ass clown doesn’t understand. No one likes him and no one will miss him. Mr. Scott on the other hand, people will remember maybe forever. Do good, folks. People remember the good.
This is why I watch content creators like Thinking Basketball, Kenny for Real, and Urinating Tree for sports content. They actually break it down and talk about the sport, instead of pushing the 24/7 narratives like Michael Jordan vs Lebron and the big market teams. I haven’t watched ESPN in years. ESPN doesn’t care about the sport, they care about the narrative of the sport.
I hate him so much it hurts
The media is the biggest thing holding the NBA back. Look at the difference between the NFL’s media and the NBA. In the NBA draft, as soon as the 2nd round hits SAS is like “I don’t even know who this brother is”- tune in to the NFL draft and the analysts can give you an accurate breakdown of a DT getting drafted in the 5th round.
He is truly the worst thing about basketball media.
I will say he and Skip likely was a big part in bringing new fans to the game, especially in the 2000s. I know my friends and I used to have sportscenter on all the time, especially in college. But, back then, there weren’t nearly as many places to consume basketball media as there are today
his and Skips constant rhetoric criticizing players, ring culture, twisting narratives, the repeated goat debates, etc – I believe played a massive part in destroying many player legacies and downplayed their contributions. As the years went on, it also became blatently obvious that they both don’t watch games.
I also think that skip and SAS share an equal responsibility in how fans talk about players today. There is so much hate and I used to be like this too until I realized they don’t watch the games and just say things for clicks and views.
It’s so hard for fans and even players to be able to live in the present and enjoy what we are seeing today. Basketball is meant to be fun.
Case in point – skip tweeting about how Halis injury was an excuse literally minutes before he went down.
These guys time are done. Until they are both off the air permanently, I know I won’t be watching anything espn puts out.
I can’t stand him! NBA sucks with him being on the air.
The world will be better off without Stephen A. Smith. He is a cancer to society and only contributes to the dumbing down of society.