Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
Why why do y'all keep doing this to me? I'm looking forward to doing the show, to talking about serious issues, to talk about things that matter, the stuff that's substitutive. But oh no, y'all can't get enough of this.
Dude, step I don't act like we once they requested you. It's because of me.
It's a cold open. You're not allowed to speak until I say so. Zip it to Stephen A Smith show dedicated to nephew Josh.
Now, I guess I shouldn't be talking on the cold opening.
Some hot it's not cold open now, but now you can talk, so the cold open.
Can't talk of the cold because you're hot.
You're hot?
You know what they say?
Usually women call themselves hot. I'm sorry, women call themselves how dudes.
That's some dudes.
You know they call it. They call the women hot. You don't hear a dude calling himself hot. You do know that?
Right now?
You say you hot as far as like what's going on right now? Not physically hot. But if you was born after the eighties, you know what I'm talking about.
Because I'm I'm born before the eighties.
Yeah, we don't got the same lingo. You wouldn't understand. That's why everybody I would understand.
Well, how come I wouldn't understand? You should have been showing me this stuff for years. I listen to you.
It's supposed to be dressed down Fridays. Once again, he's looking like he's dressed like Barack, and it's just like, you don't got nothing.
Don't you admire Barack? Don't you look up to the former president? And I said, for the fourth president of United States of America, don't you look up to it?
Yeah, he's my second favorite president.
Who's your first?
Bill Clinton?
Bill Clinton is your favorite president ahead of Barack Obama?
Yeah, I mean me and Barrock. Me and Barack got like as far as the looks we got. You do stuff like that, but me and Bill Clinton is more like.
What we're talking about. You know where I got it from?
Do that you say this stuff on camera? That's what you do.
That's the difference between me and you.
I say it on camera, So you have no kuf is what you're trying to say.
I'm trying to say, I live my I speak and live my truth.
I'm like, you know, it's I ain't gonna say too much. I got I get it from similar.
We got it. We got some videos, some videos, some videos, we got calls, we got tweets, people wanting to holler at us and stuff like that. So I said, all right, I'll bring am in and let him sit here for the show with me.
Said, I'm here.
That just a segment. I can't handle that because that that that takes a little while. Are you capable of sitting in that chair and and and giving the audience content for more than five minutes? Are you capable of doing that? Yeah?
I do a few things more than five minutes. Do you speaking to me like that to four minutes?
Kind of yeah? Oh lord, he just said five was kind of alone. Let's go to the videos, please, for this boy gets himself in more trouble. Let's go to videos.
Every time you got some smoke, you go right to the source and have a respectful conversation about it. I want to know why they's not talked about more about how you not ducking those smoke.
You're going straight to it.
And I don't see that a lot.
It seems like everybody talk around each other and you go straight to it.
But it gets swept under the rug. Try and see what you think about this man?
What you think?
I really really appreciate that brother for sending that video in because I'm really thankful. I'm grateful that he said that about me, because it's so many people in this business that just do their thing and then they go home. It's like they ain't coming on to talk to the people that get at them or anything like that, or address directly accusations that have been made against them in uncomfortable environments. You know what I'm saying. It's one thing to sit on your own platform and speak up, but you know me, I'm like, you know, you got something to say? Where you want to meet up? We can talk about it. We can talk about it in front of the public, we can talk about it privately. Don't make no difference to me. Are you willing to give your uncle at least that much credit?
Yeah? I give you some credit.
You shore what, speak your mind and stuff like that. But it's gonna happen even more now because I'm here.
What does that mean?
What you mean?
This is gonna be more direct and sometimes I'm an answer for you from my seven burners.
From your seven burners. See, you can't be doing that.
I'm gonna respond to mind suit.
You can't be doing that, man, when I'm gonna.
Cross the line.
You know, one guy was disrespecting me and I checked this page and he was a Dollar Tree cashier.
Now I'm not trying to knock that. You know, I'm not trying to.
Keep making an honest living.
And what I'm doing, excuse me, what I'm doing.
According to you, nothing you living off me. You that's what you've been.
Telling and that's why I'm better than him.
Next video, next video.
Hey ste today, it's your boy or eb from Hoop Social. I obviously know you don't remember, but I remember big time that I used to call in on your radio show all the time and you were calling Corey from Maine. Anyways, I'm wasting time, steven A. I have a legacy question for you, now that we're legitimately almost twenty five years away from it. Is Alan Iverson's Game one against the two thousand and one Lakers the most impactful, legacy boosting single game in NBA history.
I don't know about that. That's a good question. I'm not gonna dismiss the question. Bro. That was a big time impactful game because I remember when I talked about it in the city of Philadelphia's that right for the philip Enquirer, and they want to be fired and banned because I sat up there and said, on June fifteenth, the Los Angeles Lakers were winning this the reason five games. They were like what, they said, You're not giving up a chance? I said, no chance. They was like why. I said, shack, shack and more shack, and oh, by the way, Kobe, because Kobe was coming up and Shaq was already in his prime. And then they said you saying the seventy six is gonna get swept. I said, no, AI will get you one, and sure enough he showed up that game dropped forty eight. That was the first night I ever met Denzel Washington. Denzel Washington game and wrapped his arm around my shoulder and said, so, what's gonna happen? What's gonna do? Because he was nervous about the seventy six because the alox I said, oh, they gonna get you one. They're gonna get you one time, but then after that, you're gonna smoke him. They don't, they can't. They have no answer for for Shaq. But was it the most impactful here's an interesting point, Kobe Bryant. I think it was either Game four, Game five in Indiana when Shaq had fouled out and Kobe had to save the day in the NBA Finals. I kind of think that eclipses AI's performance personal, but I could be wrong. What about you?
Well, I don't mean to be picking the other side here, but the best, one of the best playoff moments I know is when against Detroit, lebron'scoing twenty five straight.
We didn't think he was gonna beat Detroit.
That's true, twenty five straight and twenty nine in the quarter right, Okay, okay, okay, legacy defining.
Yeah, because if the Big three Celtics don't put that team together, Lebron doesn't figure out how to get to the finals. Yeah, he lost to the Spurs, but I think, you know, with a couple more roster.
That's not moves, that's not a bad take.
Yeah, that's not a bad task.
He next video? What's up? All right? Steven? And I got a good one for you.
So, if you could create a starting five of species of birds, what would you pick?
And why of species? And birds?
A species of birds? You want me to do it?
A species of birds. Yeah, okay, do eagles count? Yeah?
That's one, Cardinals, cardinals, two blue jays.
I'm using teams a species of birds, pigeons, that's four peckuin.
I loved it. I love the show Penguin. I mean that's show.
What is it on?
Now?
Is it on HBO?
Hbo? Oh? I love that show with Colin Farrell. Oh, I love it. I love that show, so love it.
That's pigeons, blue jays, cardinals, eagles, eagles.
And a group of birds. I'm meeting up with tonight.
Next video, stephen A. Smith, what's good? It's your boy two tone the Superstar, please say the Superstar. I have to ask you, how come we are giving a pass to say all Canelo Alvarez for Duck and David the Mexican Monster been a Vedez. Ain't given a pass to Terrence Bud Crawford for not fighting Juron boots Innis. And I say that respectfully because nobody asked for Canelo versus Terrence Bud Crawford. Because that's musty.
Energy, musty energy, bro, Who's giving Canilo a pass? I've been complaining about him not fighting the Mexican Monster. David been a Vitas forever. And by the way, you bring up Crawford versus Boots innis, I wanted Crawford versus Challo for the junior middleweight title. That's what I wanted. So, I mean, ain't nobody giving them a pass? But this boxing, and you know, cats are making money, making fights based on the money, and anything that's gonna jeopardize the money. Because the promoters control the sport, you end up having to deal with that. I didn't want Canilo versus the smaller Charllo. I thought that cat who was better friends with Aerol Spence after Crawford beat up on Spence, I thought that would have been the perfect fight. So the fact that that didn't happen bothers me. And even though I know Crawford is waiting for Canilo and sure he wants that fight, he personally told me he think he could take Canilo out boxing, et cetera. My whole point is I don't like the fact that these guys aren't as active as they need to be. I need to see them in the ring. That's where I'm at with it. What about you?
Yeah, Nah, I think I'm cool with the Canelo versus Crawford.
I'm cool with it, but you know, David Benavitez deserves that fight more the Mexican monster. He gotta move up to light heavyweight just to get a fight because Canilo and them ain't dead for it. I mean that's a problem.
So once you have, you got Crawford losing because he's no.
No.
I think that Crawford.
Listen, I think that Crawford would out box Canilo for twelve rounds unless Canilo caught him and knocked him out. I think Canilo's only chance of beating Crawford is knocking him out. I don't think that, you know, crawl f It is too marvelous of a boxer, So I would not choose him to lose in a boxing match to Canelo other than Canelo catching him. Yeah, right, agree that That's how I feel. So you're learning, You're learning next video what you got?
So Steven, Nah, I've been having this debate with myself. As great as Kevin Durant is absolute future, first ballot Hall of Famer, two time champion, but with his movement from team to team over the past few years and what looks like he'll be on another team next season, is Kevin Durant the greatest journeyman of all time.
We can't call Kevin Durant a journeyman when he's a two time champion and a two time NBA Finals MVP. And by the way, as great as the Splash Brothers were, as great as Golden State was, he was still the best player on that team. But he does get indicted because the only time he has won is when he was on Golden State, which means that this is what the bottom line, Josh. Kevin Durant forces you to look into and wonder about what the hell is he doing with his life off the basketball court, because you find yourself looking at him and saying, situations from a leadership perspective have to be pretty good, if not close to perfect, around you in order for you to win. You're so great even when you departed from Steph Covey, you played with Kyrie Irving. Even before you went with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, you was in Oklahoma City with Russell Westbrook. Why is it that a situation needs to be perfect in order for you to win? Why aren't you able to milk and soak out of the talent around you? In other places than Golden State, the way somebody like Lebron and others have done to that.
You say, what well to that?
I say, once again, we owe Kevin Durant an apology because he's weak.
Who's weak?
I'm a new part of the media, so I shouldn't even be saying weed. But since it's our money, I'm.
Saying, you ain't no damn media. You just giving up. You just giving an opinion. You ain't a media. Stop that. Stop that, so go ahead.
So what I'm saying is y'all keep saying, like, why y'all even looking for leadership out of Kevin Durant?
What is the coach doing?
Why do you make the salary that you make. I'm Kevin Durant leader. I lead the team at school that's leading. I lead him in rebounding. Maybe I'm second, third, third and assists. How much more I'm supposed to do? Why is my occupation? Why is it added that I have to lead players that aren't that good. That's what the coach is supposed to do.
But the coach is supposed to do it, But clearly Frank Vogel wasn't capable of doing it. Mike Budenholzer clearly isn't capable of doing this. Steve Nash wasn't capable of doing it, and you let Steve Dash be the head coach when Kenny Atkinson was there and you and Kyrie wanted him going. He's going. He's an assistant in Golden State. Now he's a head coach in Cleveland. They got the second best record in basketball with this man coaching them. You had a coach. And so the point is is that because you that superstar, you could kind of get things the way that you want things, and the kind of chaos that has been around you, you don't have to tolerate that. If you know me, this is what I do. So whether it's here, whether it's First Take on ESPN or anywhere else, you know, there's so much stuff I'm gonna tolerate because I'm trying to win and anything that I think gets in a way of winning is gonna get removed. I ain't trying to make friends. I'm trying to win. That's my mentality. I believe that's what it takes to win. And some of the great great players that we've seen in NBA and in sports history have had that.
Mentality and that's why I'm on the show. You want to win? Well, come on last video please?
Wow.
Question I have for you, missus Stephen A. Smith, is does your current significant other have the right to know your ex? And if so, why and are they to that information?
What he said is your current your current relationship? Is the girl supposed to know about your ex? Is she supposed to know your ex?
You know what? What was he asking is in your current relationship? Is your girl supposed to know about your ex?
Yeah?
Not necessarily. I mean these women out here don't be telling us about their exes. I mean, listen, as long as you ain't messing with them. Now, what's the problem? I mean, I listen. I will say this. If you got a woman and you suspect that your woman is interested in somebody other than you, then you got to be man enough to move on. You know, you can't be you can't expect to be happy accepting a role as a consolation prize. Now, all of us play the fool sometimes, as the old saying goes, it's no exception to the rules. But if you are aware that you are a consolation prize and you accept that clearly, you are lacking confidence as a man. Is that possible for you, Josh, yeah.
But I don't want to charm too much in this cause you're speaking about half my lineup.
What is that supposed to be? What do you mean half your lineup? What are you talking about?
I'm talking about the girls that I You told me not to talk like that on the camera. Can we go to the next video? The next video? No more videos, It's no more you keeping that