ESPN’s Stephen A Smith is not a fan of people who have a lot to say about his comments from last week regarding JJ Redick.
Smith did not mince a single word when he stated on First Take that “white folks” shouldn’t concern themselves with the report he put out that Black head coaches had an issue with Redick starting a podcast with LeBron James while Darvin Ham was on the hot seat with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Black coaches called a Black commentator to complain about a Black superstar doing a podcast while his Black head coach was on the hot seat before he ultimately lost the damn job,” Smith said, via Awful Announcing. “What does that have to do with white folks? Some things are none of your damn business.”
After that rant, Smith then took a shot at Fox Sports’ Doug Gottlieb, who had accused him of “race-baiting.”
“It was a Black-on-Black thing, but you’ve got other folks who will remain nameless working for other networks with their irrelevant-ass selves popping their junk,” he said. “And the fact of the matter is it has absolutely positively nothing to do with that. It’s about that the fact that this situation ended up looking the way that it looks optically.”
Stephen A. Smith: “Black coaches called a Black commentator to complain about a Black superstar doing a podcast while his Black head coach was on the hot seat before he ultimately lost the damn job. What does that have to do with white folks? Some things are none of your damn… pic.twitter.com/hUCdJypkvM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 24, 2024
Stephen A Smith said last Monday that “numerous coaches, Black coaches, called me expressing how they took issue with that podcast taking place.” He added that “some of them felt very salty about that.”
A few days later, Smith offered up his own opinion, saying that James’ decision to launch a podcast breaking down the game was a “very egregious thing to do” given the timing.
Stephen A Smith Reportedly Turns Down Massive ESPN Contract Offer
Puck‘s John Ourand reported last Thursday that ESPN made Stephen A. Smith a contract offer. The Worldwide Leader In Sports offered $18 million for Smith’s services. That was not enough for him.
According to John Ourand, Stephen A. Smith is currently asking for $25 million annually from ESPN.
That massive number would make him ESPN’s highest-paid talent, surpassing Monday Night Football’s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
Last December, Smith joined Clay Travis on OutKick the Show and was asked whether being their highest-paid talent is important to him.
“Yes. I’m not stuttering. Hell, yes, that’s absolutely true,” Smith said. “I’ve mastered my own business in the world of sports television. Clay Travis, I’ve been number one for 12 years. April 1st will mark 12 consecutive years I’ve been number one. Not only have I been number one every year, I’ve been number one every week and every month of every year for the last 12 years.
“You don’t get to say that about too many people. I look at whether it’s Pat McAfee, it’s Mike Greenberg, it’s Scott Van Pelt, it’s Troy Aikman, it’s Joe Buck, it’s Kirk Herbstreit. The list goes on and on. I’m so honored to have the colleagues that I have that I work with at ESPN every day. And at the end of the day, it would be nice, one day, for this man to stand before everyone and be like, ‘I’m number one and this says I’m number one.’”
Stephen A Smith Warns ‘White Folks’ To Mind Their Own Business
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 08: Sports television personality Stephen A. Smith is seen on Radio Row ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centeron February 08, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Stephen A. Smith knows there are some people who didn’t care for his commentary on the Los Angeles Lakers’ hiring of JJ Redick as head coach.
He doesn’t care what they have to say, Smith made clear on First Take Monday, particularly calling out “white folks” for concerning themselves with his report that some Black head coaches had an issue with Redick starting a podcast with LeBron James while Darvin Ham was on the hot seat.
“Black coaches called a Black commentator to complain about a Black superstar doing a podcast while his Black head coach was on the hot seat before he ultimately lost the damn job,” Smith said, via Awful Announcing. “What does that have to do with white folks? Some things are none of your damn business.”
From there, Smith appeared to take a not-so-subtle shot at Fox Sports’ Doug Gottlieb, who had accused him of “race-baiting.”
“It was a Black-on-Black thing, but you’ve got other folks who will remain nameless working for other networks with their irrelevant-ass selves popping their junk,” he said. “And the fact of the matter is it has absolutely positively nothing to do with that. It’s about that the fact that this situation ended up looking the way that it looks optically.”
Stephen A. Smith: “Black coaches called a Black commentator to complain about a Black superstar doing a podcast while his Black head coach was on the hot seat before he ultimately lost the damn job. What does that have to do with white folks? Some things are none of your damn… pic.twitter.com/hUCdJypkvM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 24, 2024
It should be noted that Smith and Redick worked together at ESPN and have had some good sparring sessions on the air.
Smith congratulated the 15-year NBA veteran on getting the job and called Redick a “brilliant basketball mind.” He also didn’t blame Redick for taking the opportunity to work with James, so it doesn’t seem like he has a personal issue with the former Duke star.
Still, Smith is standing by his reporting and analysis of the situation no matter who takes offense, and he’s made that abundantly clear.
