Screenshot Courtesy of Twitter (@iam_johnw)
Stephen A. Smith and retired baller Jay Williams got into an intense argument after Williams called Smith out about him overly criticizing Kyrie Irving during Monday’s taping of First Take.
The conversation topic circled the recent news about Irving being traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Smith began by complimenting Irving, acknowledging he was a good basketball player and person, and mentioning all the good he has done for charities and organizations like the WNBA. He then went into the negative side of Irving, stating that he “missed about 40% of his games as a Brooklyn Net” and wasn’t “reliable.”
https://twitter.com/iam_johnw/status/1622631830628204563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener
Williams defended Irving by mentioning that he couldn’t play because he refused to get vaccinated, yet other unvaccinated NBA players weren’t prohibited from playing. He also said Irving was called antisemitic for sharing an Amazon link to a movie called Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, yet Amazon owner Jeff Bezos wasn’t shown the same energy for having the film on his site.
Things escalated when Smith told Williams he was being ultra-sensitive about the matter.
“You’re the one saying I’m being sensitive, but you’re the one that’s seeming very emotional,” Williams said. “I’m not sitting up here on national TV absolving Kyrie Irving of every decision. I’m not going back and recounting every decision. I’m just saying how it’s interesting to me it just carries a bigger momentum in particular with you more so than anything to anybody else.”
Smith responded with, “Jay, you know what? What I would ask you is, ‘Do me a favor, stop telling us what you find interesting, and just tell us what you feel. You say, ‘I find it interesting.’ you always say that. Say what you saying?”
Co-host Molly Qerim clarified that Williams thought Smith was “too preoccupied with Kyrie, too hard on Kyrie.”
Williams then said that Smith constantly criticizing Irving seemed personal. Smith interjected, saying he doesn’t lose sleep over Irving and said he’s just passionate about the subjects.
Williams isn’t the only one who thought Smith was particularly critical of Irving. Former NBA player Stephon Marbury called Smith an “Uncle Tom” for constantly criticizing Irving, but different when it came to white athletes.