Stephen A. Smith is one of the most outspoken and passionate New York Knicks supporters. Like many loyal fans, he has longed for the franchise’s first NBA championship since 1973, offering unwavering support along with pointed — and often well-earned — criticism when necessary.
So, when it came to Shaquille O’Neal‘s recent criticism of Karl-Anthony Towns, Smith backed the legendary big man, saying he had every right to say what he said.
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“He is a four-time champion. He is the most dominant big man this game has seen since Wilt Chamberlain, and in my opinion, he is more than qualified to say every syllable that he said,” Smith said.
O’Neal vs. Towns
Towns was at the center of criticism of O’Neal and his Inside the NBA co-host Charles Barkley during the Knicks’ game against the Houston Rockets.
O’Neal called Towns soft, adding that he wouldn’t hesitate to deliver the same message directly to him in person. Meanwhile, Barkley said Towns does not know how to play basketball because, as a seven-footer, he takes too many 3-pointers and doesn’t play in the post like any traditional big man would, especially when matched up against a smaller defender.
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Interestingly, Towns stepped up in a major way down the stretch of that game and later spoke with the ESPN crew in a postgame interview. To his credit, O’Neal acknowledged that he had called him “soft” before the matchup but commended him for his strong performance. Still, he emphasized that Towns must bring that same level of intensity every night, noting that the Knicks will need him to be consistently dominant to contend for a title.
KAT shut down Shaq’s criticism
Towns, however, rejected O’Neal’s comment, saying it does not matter to him who gets the credit or who plays big during games. For as long as the Knicks win, he said he would do whatever it takes to win a championship. They had a short back-and-forth that ultimately ended with Towns saying, “I agree with you, legend.”
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Smith, however, thinks O’Neal was right.
“Now Karl-Anthony Towns is a different kind of player,” he said. “So Shaq wasn’t just talking to him about being a big, he was saying that you’re the one-two punch. So to defer, and we understand that it takes a team to win, we understand that it’s a collective effort that’s needed, but in the same breath, in the end, when it comes to money time, who are we looking to?”
“We hope Mikal Bridges shows up. We hope OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and the other brothers make their contribution. But the expectation falls on the shoulders of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns,” Smith added.
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Towns is having an inconsistent year, admittedly because he is still adjusting to Mike Brown’s system. That’s where O’Neal, Barkley and his many critics are coming from. But in fairness to him, he hasn’t let all this talk affect his mental state and just continues to play.
Towns has recorded five 20-point games in his last seven performances, including four 20-10 double-doubles. So maybe he’s starting to settle down in the Knicks’ new scheme of things.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.