The NBA All Star game is TERRIBLE, how I’d fix the Dunk Contest, Steph/Sabrina Kenny Smith interview

The NBA All Star game is TERRIBLE, how I’d fix the Dunk Contest, Steph/Sabrina Kenny Smith interview

I’m over it I’m over it okay just take Allstar Weekend and get the hell rid of it just get it out of here I’m done with it I’m done I got more to say this is Stephen A Smith show let’s go what’s up everybody Welcome to the

Ladies edition of the Stephen A Smith show coming at you at the very least three times a week over the digital Airways of YouTube I’m finally back right here in my beautiful new Studios by the way appreciate all the love and support you all continue to give me in

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03 that’s 888 SAS s533 now let’s get right to it because I got a lot of stuff on my mind okay the National Basketball Association allstar game happens every February and showcases the League’s brightest stars the players the game itself is supposed to be a marquee event for the league and

Their fans well Sunday’s All-Star Game produced a record score and another forgettable blowout as the players did not learn evidently from last year’s Fiasco in Salt Lake City the Eastern Conference blew out the West 21 to 186 ladies and Gent gentlemen has 397 points in case you couldn’t count the

East was the first team in allstar game history to score at least 200 points first of all no defense whatsoever no pride no competitive fervor nothing the greatest players in the world showed up and basically gave you a version of flag basketball I never heard of flag basketball until now we’ve heard

Of flag football you know with no tackles ear involved where you just touching one another where it’s a crime if you have bad breath and you breathe on each other no no no no no that was that’s usually reserved for football this is basketball and what we’ve got we’ve learned a new sport

Exist it’s Flag basketball it’s Flag basketball nobody touch anybody nobody defends nobody do anything shoot as many threes as you want make as many layups as you want have many dunks as you want I get it I understand that you don’t want to put yourself in a position

Ladies and Gent gentlemen where you are risking injury I get that to some degree I truly truly do and nobody is expecting nor should they expect the players to play as if it’s a playoff game or the players to play as if it’s even a regular season game but here’s my

Thing why do I see you playing harder in summer league when you’re working out of UCLA or Loy marry Mount or some other place in New York City why do I see you working out harder during those games in the summertime than you are for Allstar

Weekend I remember a few years back when the fourth quarter was competitive and we were raving about them going at one another because it dictated homec court advantage for the winner come NBA Finals when it was East versus West I remember that but it’s gotten to a point now

Where it’s utterly ridiculous and this is where the Europeans are going to take over ladies and gentlemen let me give you this warning in advance because you see you couldn’t pull this off if you showed up in France if you showed up in Slovenia Czechoslovakia or or or croaa or some

Place like that they ain’t having it the pride the patriotism making sure that you give folks their money’s worth that’s what matters you see how crazy they are over over soccer people got to worry about their lives if they don’t give effort hell when they do give effort if

The outcome what the crowd wants it to be you got to be concerned you certainly can’t feel free to walk the streets but here in America with these players in a league predominantly African-American I might add you got guys getting paid and they got their money and as a result it’s

Diluted the importance of allar of the allstar games because they don’t give two shits about what happens you can’t even comp compete you can’t even face up against somebody and try to defend against them no we can’t do something like that it’s embarrassing you can tell it in the face

Of Commissioner Adam Silvera you could tell it in the face of NBA Personnel some coaches even some of the players you heard them after the game the way that they were talking LeBron Steph Curry Damen Lillard all speculated as to whether or not something could be done about it because

They know it’s a problem they know it’s a problem it’s really embarrassing they are so lucky former commissioner David Stern has passed away God Rest to so oh are they lucky because I’m telling you he’d come up with something just to agitate the players and make them compete in a fashion that shows

Difference and respect to the viewing and paying public I don’t care if they do away with the game I don’t care if there is no allstar game game I really don’t that’s how embarrassing it is it really really is but it ain’t worse than what I’m

About to bring up right now now let me get to the dunk contest Now ladies and gentlemen the last two slam dunk competitions have been won by a fellow named Matt mclung ever heard of that name if you’re not familiar with Mr mck mclung no one will hold it against you

He plays in the G league for the Oola magic to be exact the G league for the Orlando Magic and he just won the NBA Slam Dunk contest for a second year in a row a g- leager yes now historically some of the best NBA dunkers of all time

Have participated in the dunk contest in case you missed it let me go down memory lane and name just a few the original Slam Dunk champion Julius Irving put on the original show in 1976 later on came Michael Jordan and his iconic battles with Dominique Wilkins of course okay

And Jordan took a page from Dr J and took off from the free throw line to win that battle in 1988 let’s get to 2000 remember that show that Vince Carter put on remember that absolute show he put on for the All-Star crowd against a field that included fellow Allstar Tracy

McGrady by the way we didn’t see that this past weekend I can tell you that much and there’s only one person to blame for the lack of high-profile players participating in the dunk contest you damn right his name is LeBron James now so everybody gonna get all

Sensitive and stuff like that let me be very very clear let’s throw out the particulars let’s throw out the specifics because we all know that we got to make sure that we honor the greatness of King James right he’s on the Mount Rushmore four-time Champion four-time League MVP went to like nine

Straight NBA Finals 10 straight NBA finals were crying out loud this is what he’s done in his career he’s the leading scorer in NBA history no one has scored more points he just recently surpassed Kem Abdul Jabar last season we get all of that about LeBron

James he’s 39 years of age in this 21st season we’ve never seen somebody in their 21st season averaging 25 a game looking the way that LeBron James is looking clearly on the Mount Rushmore and we will miss him when he is gone and we appreciate LeBron James because he is

Somebody that has been the Marquee and has thoroughly and fully embraced it and has handled himself with pristine class without question but that doesn’t negate the one flaw in his entire career that’s more conspicuous than anything else and that is his absence from the slam dunk contest you see whether it’s

David Thompson whether it’s a Connie Hawkins whether it’s a Dr J Julius Irving whether it’s a even Craig Miner for crying out loud when people were calling him baby Jordan whether it was a Michael Jordan whether there was a Dominique Wilkins the list went on and on and on throughout the years Kobe

Bryant participated in Vince Carter Tracy McGrady the list went on and on and on as most recently Aaron Gordon and Zack LaVine put on a show for the ages it was spectacular I’m talking about Skywalkers Skywalkers by the way let me not forget Kenny Skywalker who used to

Play for the New York Knicks that entered the slam done contest years ago Skywalkers those marvelous spectacular athlete who play Above the Rim every single one of them participated in the slam dunk contest until LeBron James came along and decided he didn’t want to

Be a part of it he didn’t mind being on layup lines pregame and doing all these spectacular dunks to put people on notice that he could participate in the slam dunk contest and he could win the slam dunk contest and get everybody oooing and on over him and stuff like

That we did that we got all of that but he’s never chose to participate in the slam dunk contest and here’s what it meant when you have a superstar of his magnitude that sat up there and said hey I’m not really interested in participating in competing in a slam

Dunk contest it was okay for everybody to follow suit remember what John Morant said last year he didn’t care too much about the slam dunk contest he’ll compete you know for it when he wants to if he ever wants to that came because you had guys like

LeBron James who started all of this this level of indifference and apathy towards participating in the slam dunk contest when you see it go away when you see it evaporate and disappear when you see the growing public get tired of the nonsense that they put before us then

You’ll understand who to point the finger at it’s the one thing that deserves to be pointed right at LeBron James he is the one that did all of this m mclung you deserve all the props in the world you legitimately won that Jaylen Brown you deserve props for

Participating in the slam down contest ain’t nobody gonna throw shade on you for participating in it but for LeBron James to skip it you made it okay for everybody else to skip it where was Anthony Edwards He’s a Skywalker he’s dunking on people all the time how come

He didn’t participate in the slam dunk contest where the hell was he you see all of these cats that can jump out the gym and jump on and and dunk on folks where they at why haven’t they participating in it because they don’t care which is why I have an idea and

I’ve said this publicly before but I’m going to reiterate it again because I want y’all to hear this in detail and I’ll put some of my own money up if that’s what it takes it ain’t going to be me alone I need help now I ain’t got that much

Paper but I’m happy and I’ve spoken to Adam Silver about this I’ve spoken to other NBA officials about it and I will continue to implore and to push for this idea that I first presented on first take on ESPN every weekday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon I presented

This two years ago to Kendrick Perkins let’s have a national Dunk Contest National slam dunk competition City to city state to state throughout this Union you have some of the best dunkers descend upon one area so they can be evaluated for their slam dunking prowess we pick the best from each

City and then after that you cut it down somehow some way to a top 10 and the top 10 dunkers get all expenses paid trip to Allstar Weekend the first prize winner a million dollars runner up $500,000 third place $100,000 now if I’m going to be quite blunt about

This we got people acting up in the streets throughout America for far less than that amount of cash so imagine what they would do if all you got to do is win a slam dunk contest in order to get that kind of paper in your pocket think

About how competitive they will be for it think about the level of competition we’ll witness the quality of the slam dunks we’ll see do that and here’s how you keep NBA Allstars involved if you’re LeBron James and you’re an Allstar I’m sponsoring that guy if you’re Steph and you’re

Allar I’m sponsoring that guy if you’re an Anthony Edwards if you’re a Carl Anthony towns if you’re jayen Brunson if you’re a Yannis DMO if you’re Nicole yic you talk about the top 10 vote Getters the top 10 vote Getters each of them represent one of them one of the guys participating in

The slam done contest and they sponsored them this is my guy this is who I’m coaching this is who I’m four and that’s how they can participate rather than puttings through the uous physical task of having the slam dunk themselves and as a result everybody’s happy you got a spotlight

Put on the sport of basketball you got player involvement which you the all stars and you got cats from the streets that are competing and since they don’t play in the NBA and they don’t have to worry about an 82 game schedule and they don’t have to worry about getting

Injured and they don’t have to worry about taking risk they’re going to go all out and we’re going to see an elevated level of quality if a g leager can participate in the slam dunk contest certainly somebody else can too because evidently you don’t have to be an NBA

Player to participate Matt McClung has played a grand total of four NBA games that’s it he’s in the G League the hell with it y’all we got players from Europe we got players from America we got players from different continents how come we can’t get players from the streets of

America let them do it that is my idea because if you’re not going to do that eradicate the slam dunk contest I don’t want to see people in Timberlands I don’t want to see 14 Miss dunks I don’t want to see all of this nonsense I don’t

Want to see the same old same old jumping over somebody I don’t want to see that no more I need creativity give it to me I can say this however there is something that was good about Allstar Weekend wasn’t All-Star Game damn sure wasn’t the slam dun

Contest both of them need to go as presently constructed but we can’t say the same about the three-point shooting contest major props to Damen Lil for winning back-to-back three-point shooting contest but the highlight of the entire weekend was Sabrina UNESCO versus Steph Curry now Steph Curry might be considered the greatest

Shoo in basketball history but Sabrina certainly made him prove it Saturday night as part of the NBA Allstar Weekend okay the Golden State Warriors guard edged the New York Liberty guard 2926 in an NBA versus WNBA three-point shooting contest the first of its kind yonescu opened by making seven straight shots

Before finishing with a total score of 26 which happened to be to tie the highest score by any NBA player in the Three-Point Contest held earlier Saturday night and W obviously by Milwaukee buckstar Damen Lillet but in the end Steph Curry the greatest shooter God has ever created Eclipse that all with

29 Steph Curry shows up he took it seriously y’all he knew Sabrina was no joke he also knew he didn’t want to lose to her period and the bottom line is he showed up and he showed out he answered the call after she scored her 26 he

Needed to come on strong and make sure he did his thing and he ended strong as well he is the greatest shooter man has ever seen it’s that simple and had he lost to her it would not have been any shame in it she was allowed to shoot a

WNBA ball because that’s what she shoots regularly as opposed to a regular basketball but she shot from the same distance I don’t want to hear all of this noise people aiming towards Kenny Smith talking about he was wrong to say she should have been allowed to shoot

From the WNBA range him and Reggie Miller going back and forth Reggie Miller saying shoter shoot all of that other stuff stop trying to make it into something that’s not Kenny Smith is entitled to his opinion Reggie Miller is entitled to his Kenny Smith wasn’t being disrespectful towards her but in the end

What it comes down to is this she shot from NBA range and she still did better than most remember four people in the NBA three-point shooting contest had the 26 she had 26 as well she just ran up against the greatest ever and by the way this should continue they should have

This event every Allstar Weekend Steph Curry didn’t disappoint Sabrina yonescu did not disappoint they were mares and showed up and acted like mares and treated it with the seriousness that it deserved they answered the call the way mares are supposed to answer the calls everybody can learn something from them

Last item real quick the Nets as in the Brooklyn Nets have fired Jac vaugh as its head coach just a few hours ago um the Brooklyn Nets fired him on Monday morning team announced the Forman be G was in his second season as the coach of

The Nets who are now 21 and 33 and sit in 11th place in the East just a game out of the playin tournament the Nets ended a disappointing first half of the season with a 50o loss in Boston in their final game before the All-Star break in two plus Seasons as Nets coach

Jac vaugh was 71 and 68 in the regular season but 0 and eight in the playoffs getting swept twice he replaced Steve Nash season ago before going 43 and 32 and getting swept in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs listen I don’t like the fact that he was fired

I understand that Shawn marks and them had to do what they had to do didn’t have the PSE of the players was nose diving um we get all of that my problem is is that he inherits a mess because by the time he took over for Steve

Nash James Harden was on his way there but looking to get out the second he could because he really wanted to be with Daryl Mory Kyrie Irving was causing all types of problems at that particular ular Moment In Time some understandable some self-inflicted and Kevin Durant was by

His Lonesome and so when I look at it from that perspective it does have me lamenting the status of jacqu vaugh from this perspective what if he had gotten the job originally when Kyrie was there and Kevin Durant was out and then Kevin Durant was supposed to be um coming back

Which he ultimately did what if Jac vaugh was the one coaching the team when Kevin Durant size 13 should have been a 12 and a half so his foot would have been behind the three-point line and he would have hit that three in a game

Seven that ended up being a two and they ended up losing that game what if Kyrie Irving hadn’t hurt his ankle um and ultimately watch as Kevin Durant dropped 49 in a game five that was a must-win for the Brooklyn Nets at that particular moment what if that had

Happened I’m looking at the fact that Steve Nash who never coached on any level a day in his life got an opportunity to have that head coaching job but Jac vaugh got it when nothing but chaos reigned I feel sad that he lost his job I understand that Shawn marks and him

Felt that the timing was right to do what they needed to do I just wish that Jac vongh was given a better hand initially in getting the job instead of being called upon to clean up a mess that couldn’t be cleaned up next up you know him as the jet you

Also know him as an Emmy awardwinning contributor to the great NBA show that’s inside the NBA on TNT it ain’t Charles Barkley I’m talking about it ain’t Shaquille O’Neal I’m talking about it’s not even Ernie Johnson I’m talking about I’m talking about my brother from Queens New York the jet himself Kenny Smith

He’s in the house back next with my brother in a minute everyone knows I demand excellence and I’m in it to win it so that’s why I’ve teamed up with prize picks America’s number one fantasy sports app to help turn my sports knowledge into some big time money prize

Picks is a daily fantasy app where you simply choose two or more of your favorite players pick more or less on their projected stats and then submit your entry in less time than it’ll take Steph Curry to dribble up the court and hit a long range game winning three so

Every basket rebound and assist gets bigger each week download the prospect app today and join a community of more than 3 million members and if you do prize picks will match your firsttime deposit of up to $100 yeah that’s right you heard me go to prospects.com right

Now and use code SAS my initials of course in case you didn’t figure that out just use promo code SAS on prize picks to receive a first deposit match of up to $100 and then let the games begin prize picks pick more pick less it’s that easy my next guest is a

Two-time NB Champion with the Houston Rockets and co-host the Emmy Award winning Inside the NBA on TNT he’s from Queens Queens is in the building welcome to the show my brother the one and only Kenny The Jet Smith welcome to the Stephen A Smith show my brother what’s

Going on man how you doing man it looks great over there looks great looks great looking big time right now and I don’t know I don’t know if I’m ready for you now listen listen it’s my home so that means it’s your home it’s good to see

You got a lot of stuff that I want to get into with you thank you you for taking time out of your busy schedule cuz I know you was traveling back from NBA Allstar Weekend first things first You Kenny Smith you’re in the news yeah know you and Reggie you know button

Heads friendly albeit about Sabrina UNESCO and her participating in the three-point shooting contest you didn’t have a problem with her shooting the WNBA Ball but you wanted her to shoot from WNBA range etc etc don’t know the specificity of everything give us the specifics what is your thoughts about

Everything everybody is saying yeah I think it’s much to do about nothing Stephen uh honestly um most people who know basketball understood what I was talking about actually I was advocating for her more than anything else because basketball is all is muscle memory right so he practices from one

Range she practic from the other there’s even a study I think with somebody throwing darts the guy who throws darts okay and if you move him out one step his accuracy changes dramatically but but the funny thing about it if you move them in one step it accuracy changes

Because you take so many shots from the exact same thing so I’m like why is he getting the the advantage to shoot at his line that’s an advantage it has it’s not gender it’s not genetic it’s an advantage it’s a muscle shooting is only muscle memory and so that’s what kind of

I didn’t people who don’t you know actually play the sport don’t understand it’s all muscle memory but the second part I think I think when Reggie like was joking around about oh so she should play with dolls because it was a comment I think that Sabrina when she was

Younger right that someone said you should play dolls and stop my thought I have daughters so my thought when I first heard that I was like what’s wrong with that you should play with dolls and you could do Sports so I actually said it right like you

Should play with dolls and I screamed my daughter’s names out London Kayla you can play with dolls but see most people just don’t check the take they want to just check the bait you know what I mean so they want to have bait my my history

In track record is is speakable itself I think they in this culture people except for you I gotta give it to you that’s why you get in trouble a lot of time now you make some stuff that I’m I cringe too but you check the tape right and you

Go wait what did he actually say so if you check the tape I said what’s wrong with her playing with dolls right because that’s another stereotype that oh she can only she can’t play doll with dolls and be in sports it doesn’t really make sense well listen listen everybody

Knows that Kenny Smith despite your impeccable credentials as a two-time champion coming from University of North Carolina coming from Queens and Archbishop Malloy my big brother for years and years and years despite the great level of credibility you have the other thing you have over me is you’re

An incredibly nice guy you know me I’d have just told people to kiss off you know how I am that would have been me well you know what though Stephen this the first time I address it because I I know what I said right I know I knew

Knew exactly what I said right I knew why I said it right it was a basketball reference about working out as a as a if if there was a college guy who was the greatest College shooter this year it would have been an unfair Advantage for

Him not an unfair let’s say a slight Edge the shooters do shoot like but it is a slight Edge because when I was in college I never practiced from the NBA Ry never right I just never did it because there’s no reason because my muscle memory needs to be at the college line

So Steph Curry had a slight Advantage right and and why should he have a slight Advantage he is the greatest student in the world so that was a whole play that it was a lot of it was in just obviously you having a WNBA player uh play against right um Step I actually

Even said in The Telecast and I believe it still they should have four WNBA and four NBA yeah I heard you yeah so I I I that’s when I was like I was clueless watch thought that I didn’t want I didn’t want equality in because they looking for a reason that hate

Could create headlines so they can make some money getting clicked instead of getting a real job but that’s a different subject for another day Kenny Smith I will say this though the fact that she did score 26 at the disadvantage that you highlighted so eloquently just now damn what does it

Say about her against any other NBA player not named Steph Curry well no it just says Shooters do shoot though right we do that she can make the adjustment right Steph could have made the adjustment moving in however your muscle memory is at one line that’s all it is

It’s just a better you have more of a chance of doing what you do the same way you know she shot with her ball right if you gave Steph the the women’s basketball after about two or three minute shots he could adjust the shooting with a woman’s basketball

However he shot with his ball it’s just a slight adjustment it just give you a slight Edge and that’s all it is and I but it I think that the whole Allstar Weekend is starting to think about being revamped and that’s why we’re seeing all of this well I’m glad you brought that

Up because when I think about Allstar Weekend I’m not gonna lie to you I think about Kenny Smith because you hype it up better than anybody as far as I’m it’s over ladies it’s over it’s over it’s over oh trust me especially when you talk about Vince Carter I remember that

Call but I’m going to ask you this I know how I feel and how disgusted I am with watching the actual competition not the three-point shot cuz I know that the Three-Point Contest is great the slam dunk contest there’s been there’s been a this been slippage the level of

Competitive fervor for the allstar game there been slippage and I’ve gotten upset about it because Kev cuz Kenny I look at these guys on the summer UCLA loela marry Mount wherever else they practice they seem to give more effort then than they do at the actual game

What are your thoughts about that well I think for for both more importantly I think the dunk contest when Zion Williamson got hurt I think and you know and he never participated yet that hurt the dunk contest because Aaron Gordon and LaVine were carrying the torch for a while and

Now Zion was the next guy like I know Zion Williamson I don’t know him well but I I would have imagine that dude would have been in a dunk contest he would have showed the world that he’s the best dunker maybe that ever lived

When he was healthy so I think we had a cyclical down and a lot of the Stars don’t go in it because to be honest Stephen it’s like the emperor with no clothes on it’s the only event where if you’re do not doing it well the world

Makes fun of you you know the Three-Point Contest you’re always gonna hit some shots but the three the dunk contest you can miss three dunks and no one and and the whole world makes fun of you so you’re the emperor with no clo and I think somebody our best players

Shy away from that competitiveness um the game itself definitely has to be revamp um I just think you know for me I thought when they had the one year when they had you play to a certain number that last five minutes got so competitive so just make it straight 150 points

Winner halftime is 75 and then we play to 150 because right now they’re not playing for a goal they’re just letting each other score and that’s not what I don’t think that makes it great that we want to see the 24 best players at least put up resistance against each other

Like a glorified pickup game am I wrong because my big brother from Queens always checks me this is why I’m brilliant because I know I’m not I listen to people like yourself to help guide me as you have done for decades I have sat back and said yo all of this

Stuff the criticism I could point to LeBron from years ago not wanting to shoot free throws or whatever the case may be but this man is on the Mount Rushmore basketball is one of the greatest of all time one of the greatest ambassadors of the game as well nothing

But mad respect and agulation for him but when it comes to the slam dunk contest I sort of hold him accountable Kenny because every superstar that played athletically and Above the Rim prior to him participated he never has and as a result other stars have followed suit since him and have passed

On participating am I wrong in taking that position against LeBron James when it comes to the slam dunk contest I don’t think you’re wrong in taking the position if you giving it solely to him then yes but he is a participant of that without question like if he would have

Participated in a dunk contest then the guys who are chasing him like the guys who chased chased Michael and and and Dominique and all of those guys they would have done it he he is he does have to take a little bit of that blame for

That but then we did have Gordon and then we did have LaVine but again those guys have never been Allstars honestly right they’ve never been perennial allar like guys that have been in the NBA All-Star Game 10 to 15 years like Michael Dominique Vince Carter and those

Guys that preceded them so he does take a little bit of it I wouldn’t say solely you still can make your own decision but he has a part in it for sure I definitely didn’t say solely but I said he instigated it because it wasn’t until him that the stars who followed passed

On it now that brings me to Anthony Edwards the Skywalker that he is I love his personality I love what he brings to the game he didn’t participate I thought he missed an opportunity because I thought when he came in there shooting left-handed and joking around wait a

Minute this is all stars you surrounded by All Stars this is your opportunity to claim yo there’s a new era coming and I’m a part of it and y’all better watch out for me and I thought he sort of passed on that opportunity to some

Degree how do you feel about that I I I 100% agree I think Anthony Edwards is the future of the league and you know he’s one of the guys and I just remember and when you said that as you were saying it I was thinking of what one

Summer I was at North Carolina and we were talking about the dunk contest with Michael and he says well I’m I’m doing a dunk concert to let them know that I’m the best at everything everything he’s like there’s going to be a doubt I’m the best at

Everything he even said I’m and and at this point he had done it but and he didn’t do well but he said I’m gonna into the Three-Point Contest one day oh Lord and he and he actually did it wow so he wanted to show the world that he

Was the best at everything and and that’s why you play the game I you know individually and as a team oriented uh if I had the skills and and that can possess that I always tried to show that I could I’m one of the best at it for me

That’s just how I was brought up I actually participated in dunk contest in the three-point in the same night yeah the same that’s right yes you did like so I was like I want to show people I could do these things and I also want to validate myself into my peers that I

Might be better than you at it you know I’m gonna go a step further because one of the things that I do I I talk about this constantly you know it’s not just you remember me covering the game I play for Big House gains John the late John B

Menda used to come to practices and obviously this is a man that invented the fast break and not only that obviously was a mentor to so many African-American coaches etc etc then I come into the journalism industry I cover John Cheney and then after that I’m covering Larry Brown that takes

That’s added on top of what I learned from you and what I learned from so many others and then I look at Hall of Famers because those are the ones that’s texting me all the damn time you understand saying make sure you hold them accountable make sure you would do

To them what you did to us or whatever this generation of players sort of have an attitude about a lot of things because they don’t want to be held accountable not realizing that it’s players from yester year who paved the way for them who is saying to the media

Excuse me the standard doesn’t change do you believe the standard should change that we should take into account what we’re looking at from a societal perspective in this day and age how things are received because of the Aven of social media and Beyond and say it’s different so we should measure and judge

Differently or do you feel like the standard should always be the standard well I think the standard is always the standard I think but we also got we have to take in account that when there is an era of people who have a voice that aren’t

Experts and so or aren’t even I wouldn’t even say participants in the game right so they don’t they don’t watch the game well they don’t as I started with the at the whole segment they don’t check the tape right you know my whole thing is

Not to look at I think as an analyst why I lasted to 21 I never look at things face value right I don’t look at I don’t look at it as face value so I’m never goingon to react to something face value and so what happens is the face value

People can overwhelm the people who are understanding of the science of the game and I think that scares players at times to participate to to to to compete in in in not a a competitive form like an All-Star Weekend a dunk contest or even a skills Challenge and say I’mma shoot

Left-handed as well because we have a we have people who have voices which is fair yeah but we they have voices that but they don’t check the tape and they don’t even understand the science of why things happen Kenny when I gave this idea I couldn’t wait to throw this by you

Because if anybody if anybody is qualified to judge an issue here’s my idea for the new Slam Dunk Contest I took it to Adam I took it to Adam and I was saving it for these Airways even though you and I talk all the time I

Sent them and wait for the Airways to bring it to you Kenny okay I am an endorser now I ain’t got all the damn money so I’m going need help but I’m willing to put some money up to make this happen we have a nationwide Slam Dunk Contest throughout the states of

Chicago New York LA and every place in between and we have a nationwide contest and ultimately we come to a conclusion of the top 10 slam dunkers out there give them an all expenses paid trip to the NBA Allstar Weekend you take the the the top prize is a million the

Consolation prize is 500,000 third place is 100,000 now we know we live in a society where people get themselves in trouble for a hell of a lot less imagine what that kind of money is going to do for a lot of people okay you talking about big bucks top three prizes for the

NBA Slam Dunk champion and the players can participate the NBA Allstars by the top 10 stars in terms of votes received literally sponsoring who they believe will win the slam dunk contest that will be the involvement but you’re not asking them to dunk you’re asking others who weren’t good enough talented enough

Focused enough disciplined enough or whatever it is to participate in the slam dunk contest you take the crem Del crem it could be the top five it could be the top 10 but you bring them to Allstar Weekend with that first second and third place prize with an NBA player

Picking one to sponsor on their behalf saying I believe this person is going to do it LeBron I’m got this guy Steph I got this guy Yannis I got this guy Etc and you let them engage in the slam dunk contest because if you got a g leer

That’s a back-to-back champion in M mclung you certainly can justify going throughout the street streets of America sponsored and endorsed by the NBA by people like yourself and me to bring the top dunkers to Allstar Weekend what are your thoughts and if you saw the G if

You saw the g-league dunk contest with uh I think it’s Cheryl Su son wow uh one I believe it was like his dunks was incredible yeah so for me that’s a hell of a idea first of all thank you but that but why do we have to get to the

Point where the NBA contest DK contest can’t be NBA guys CU they don’t want it like you know what I mean that’s that there’s still something R rudiment not great to me in that sense that right we can’t convince our NBA guys to participate in NBA Allstar

Weekend when you have the fans of the fans and the stars of the stars in the line never in a building Hey Stephen even in the Grammys I don’t think you have that many stars that’s right as as you have at NBA Allstar Weekend from all from football basketball every baseball

Music like you don’t have that anywhere else except for the Super Bowl that’s the only place that’s comparison and you cannot get the best players who are supposedly the best athletes in the world to do the best it’s an indictment I love your idea as a separate entity

Right I would still want to see the best I want to see Ant Man I want to see him in a dun but I’ve given up Kenny what I’m saying is I’ve I’ve given up on them wanting to participate I’m saying them wanting to participate

Come on Kenny see that’s me you come on man is listening and he’s gonna come into the I think he might I think he might but who gonna show up against him Kenny that’s the problem but even if if Jaylen Brown was your fourth best dunker you still have names that are so

Recognizable that’s everyone’s going to tune in I believe your idea I would like to have that on Allstar Friday night okay but we don’t need Allstar Friday night being better than Allstar Saturday night that’s the problem that’s the problem we’ll move it over then we’ll

Move it over but I’d like to see that on Allstar Friday night for sure I like to see the those all of those guys because they’re are professional dunkers now that’s right that that’s all they do that’s all they do and all of them you

Know we had a show called dunk Kings all of those guys that was great they are unbelievable they tried things that no one else would ever even try as an NBA player however I want to see the best in the world be the best in the world you

Tell me you’re the best NBA player let me see if you’re the best D toally agree you I want to see that too I totally agree with you if they want to participate the problem is they don’t so we got to find a resolution to say the

Hell with you since you don’t want to give the fans what they want to see we going to give you we going to bring you some people who are going to give the fans what they want to see that’s where I’m that’s agreeable that I we’re agreeing but I’m just hopeful still yeah

You still helpful you you’re not as cynical as me before I let you get on out of here just a few more questions number one Jason Tatum I got starting the second half he’s my leading candidate for League MVP honest he’s the best player on the best team in the NBA

That’s how I feel about it where are you on that at right winning is he and Tatum are the most winning in duo in in the NBA in the last five years I believe right so he he’s the one guy who individually doesn’t get the accolades

And they always say he’s coming up short without Jill Joel MB and without Denver really separating themselves in the west I I I would have to agree with you he is the odds on favorite he and Ant-Man honestly are like neck and neck in my estimation as MVPs of the league can’t

Forget Shay gilis Alexander either I can’t forget you’re right you’re right I I I say I apologize you 100% have done your thing this year and and and and and I think those are the three and I would say joker is three right now unless make

An incredible make a good run down this second half of the Season by the way the power of your of your little brother Stephen A here Tatum was 50 to1 odds for League MVP last Wednesday I spoke out on his behalf today he 25 to1 from 50 to1

25 to1 in Vegas Vegas you know why why not the power of you is you check the tape brother I’mma keep going check the tape because I’ve seen you say I’ve seen you stick the points and I’ve seen you come back and go you could go crazy and go you know what

I was wrong yes because you gotta check the tape that’s right check the tape no question no question in the Eastern Conference right now don’t like the way Milwaukee’s looking and be’s not on Philly I’m not worried about my New York nck I’m kind of feeling it right now I’m

Kind of feeling the New York Nicks going to the Conference Finals the way if Mitchell Robinson Julius Randle and OG and anobi all come back before the playoffs healthy and ready to go I like our chances in New York City but I ain’t picking nobody over Boston in the East

Where are you I said the Easter last week I said the Eastern Conference Finals will be the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics yeah those are the best two teams they’re playing the best they’re playing with the most purpose and then when the guys come back they’re

Already they have their system in place where I think when you’re playing without Joel and bid you have to play differently that’s right the New York Knicks are not playing differently the Boston Celtics are not playing differently they’re playing the way they got to play when even when guys are

Coming in and out right I think will dictate Milwaukee Bucks new coach new system they’re playing differently the Knicks and the Celtics they’re like no this is us right you’re gonna have to beat us right and this is the first year that I could come out of the the the the

Webs and go yes I am a New Yorker too that’s right my first love I love I love the fact that bonovich and Burks is there too because I think they’re G to do big things for the Knicks but I got it I got

To me a Copa here I I got on you big time I text you immediately last year when you picked Miami against the Knicks it broke my heart I was like no no no but you were right you were right you were right I was wrong you tried to

School your little bro I I dropped the ball then you you check me and you were right damn it that’s the way it is west you know what’s the difference though this year Ste what’s up at at the beginning of the year I made a comment I

Said I don’t know if the Knicks could win the Eastern Conference or be in it because they always walk on the floor and having the second best player right and I was like you play Milwaukee they got the second best you played Philadelphia they had the second best

Play Boston true but Brunson has narrowed the Gap so much to being the SEC right you might be the best player but I’m far behind you he’s right there and so now I have talented guys behind me which so like surpasses what you might have so now that’s the difference

Is Jaylen Bruton we talk about MVP candidate he’s in the top five he’s there he’s in the top five of being there he’s just short in the Gap maybe he’s not in be maybe he’s not Giannis right but when he plays he makes winning plays that separates the Gap out west we

See Minnesota they got the sdes to go up against Denver and go and Cat and Anthony Edwards has elevated his play and obviously I think has infused something some of that dog in Minnesota that they needed and we’re going to be interested to see what they do there

Oklahoma City a little bit too young but Shay gilis Jaylen Williams and those Brothers could play got to give them some love but it’s all about Denver out west at least we thought and then we saw the Clippers come on strong and I’m looking at it like this

Kenny with James Harden having not missed a game playing all 48 all 49 games since he’s arrived in Los Angeles Russell Westbrook infusing some stuff off the bench Norman pal can ball and Kawai and Paul George if they’re healthy I’m looking at the Los Angeles Clippers

Could you imag imagine Kenny if the Los Angeles Clippers end up winning the West their last season at the crypto.com arena before they moveing into Englewood this is unbelievable stuff that could happen for them how legit are the Clippers to you or is the West about Denver the Clippers have always been

Legit but they’ve never been able to stay healthy and not way they we say Kawai because he is the most unique player it’s funny because when he gets hurt and comes back it’s like he’s never been hurt right like most guys take some time to get back he kind of just jumped

Right back in it he is the the Difference Maker he’s still in his prime uh in terms of being a a dominant player so he separates everything and you add what you just said all of those players the Clippers actually and and my favorite coach in the NBA is Tyrone Lou no doubt

Because if you think about Tyrone Lou you’ve never said this about him oh his team his team underachieved right never at no point you say they lost where they supposed to lose right or they overachieve they’ve never got to a point where you say his teams have underachieved and that’s what makes him

To me a great coach and um Clippers are the West is is wide open but the Clippers are still I think even surpassed Denver wow last question for you what’s been going on with you I know you wrote a book I know you got your camps coming on out out every every damn

For crying out loud what you got on your agenda because you always got something up your sleeve man man this is this summer you know I’m doing a lot of lot of fun things obviously like you said the book talk of Champions has been out

Uh and uh doing really well went we went number one for uh documentary all I mean not documentary autobiographies or whatever it was you know it’s just a a great tell all book about everything I learned from the great people I was around from Dean Smith to Michael Jordan

Bill Russell to man uh David kler one from the cola family my guy friend gu Siri all these great people I didn’t realize where in my life I just wrote stories of what they I learned from them and I just want to give it out so that’s

That’s kind of like I’m still riding that wave and basketball you know I do every level from Pros I’ll do the final four and then I’ll go to a I have a abl team and I’ll be doing summer so you’ll see me everywhere if it’s basketball

It’s me Stephen there you go we never it never stops well you keep teaching me I always appreciate you and I owe you an apology right here over the digital Airways because I was supposed to come to your spot Friday night and I bust my

Ass I don’t know if you heard the story I was living on the basketb I was on a basketball court I was on the I bust my ass but then you made the three afterwards so I thought your ankle was all right yes and then I went back and

Then I went back to the room and the damn thing swelled up they had to send the NBA doctors to see me and everything I had to go to the hospital for X you know really it was your old muscle really you’re old your old so that mean that means

It’s over that means over it’s over keny I Gotta Give it up I Gotta Give It Up the first side of being old brother when you fall and you get you don’t even know it that’s what you I got up man I was fine and then the next thing I know like

Damn all of a sudden like an hour or two later it swell up next year we have the big event you know I do it for Ern education reform now so you come next year and uh we had D nice I have performances I’ve had everything everybody you can imagine every R you

Know how to throw party dance every singer they’ll be there you know how to throw a party better than most my man I appreciate you love you bro see see you soon all right all right thanks for checking the tape no doubt of course of course always the one and only the one

And only Kenny Smith right here coming up I got to transition from that man to the former president of the United States making noise making money what else is he going to make happen there’s a lot to talk about stick around you’re watching the Stephen A Smith show right

Here over the digital Airways with YouTube back with more in a minute welcome back to Stephen A Smith show now it’s time to get to some other topics before I get to my tweets and the calls to close out the show okay the former president is now Hawking sneakers

Yes that man Donald Trump the former president appeared at Sneaker Con a footwear convention for shoe offici andado and collectors in Philadelphia over the weekend where he introduced his latest business venture high top shoes and sneakers the shoes called The Never Surrender high tops are not the first

Product the former president has hawked to his loyal base of followers according to our website dedicated solely to Trump sneakers the shoe line is quote unquote super limited only 1,000 th000 pairs were being sold the small print on the side notes that the shoes are not designed manufactured distributed or

Sold by Trump or his organization but rather by a company identified as 45 Footwear LLC which uses Trump’s name and likeness under a license agreement the former president seemed to imply that the shoes were part of an effort to reach younger voters saying quote we’ve

Got to get the Young people out to vote that’s what he’s saying the announcement came a day after a judge in New York ordered Trump to pay more than $350 million in penalties plus interest following a civil suit a civil fraud trial I’m sorry in which he was found to

Have carried out a yearslong scheme to use false financial data to borrow money at lower rates alongside his adult sons and other top executive Ives at the Trump organization Trump has promised to appeal the decision the shoes are now selling on eBay for as much as $7500 in comparison to some others big

Baller brand sneakers on ebay $500 to $1,000 various styles of Jordan sell on EBay original Nike original Air Jordan high Chicago 1985 that sells for 72,000 Nike’s Lewis Vuitton Air Force One oh that’s so at $300,000 let me move on by saying this to y’all it’s just the latest that Trump is

Going to do in terms of collecting dollars to help pay for his legal fees there’s no surprise there but if y’all think this is not something to take Serious you need to pay attention he’s winning in the polls you see the Democratic party fracturing before your very eyes because some

People are saying Joe keep running Joe keep running running other people are saying he needs to step aside for the good of the country he should have been a one-term president he should have said I’m just here for that and then after that I’m moving on because by the time

We roll around for election in 2024 I’m going be 82 years of age I don’t need to be thinking about four more years and so now you got people talking about KLA Harris now you got people talking about Gavin Newsome now you got people talking about at the Democratic National

Convention that’s when things are going to change and we might see a new candidate scheduled to go up against Trump despite despite indictments 91 counts the possibility that he could be a convicted felon on top of losing this civil suit he’s coming he’s coming there’s no way around

It you look at the immigration PR crisis because it is a crisis make no mistake about it people in this country are paying attention to that they look at the economy they also looking at inflation they’re looking at the price of milk the price of gas the price of

Bread going to the supermarket complaining about that these are the kind of things folks are talking about and regardless of what we want to say what we want to think what we want to feel you have people on the left who have no problem with what’s going on

You’ve got people on the right who’s got a big time problem with what’s going on so it does come down to who’s going to go to the polls it does come down to numbers because at some point in time ultimately you don’t have people even talking about Joe Biden’s policies what they’re

Talking about is yo we’re not inspired and if they’re not inspired they’re not going to go to the po you can talk about Obama all you want to Obama Obama got people to the poll if you ain’t for Trump and you go to the polls you’re going to vote

Against them the question is are you’re going to go to the polls Trump is trying to Galvanize people to go to the polls he’s telling you I’m here to save today and over 74,000 people last election he lost voted for him to do just that it’s just

That 80 million I said 74,000 7 4 million 80 million voted over 80 million voted for Joe Biden is another 80 plus million going to show up to the PO forget who you gonna vote for because we know he got his support Biden’s gonna have his who’s going to show up to the

PO and that’s why them sneakers that line that Trump threw out there makes sense we got to get young people to the polls got to get young people to the polls how much you want to make a bet some young people’s going to go to the polls wearing those damn

Sneakers wearing those damn sneakers these ones are not my style but there’s a lot of people that are buy those trust me on that and if he says buy it to show up to the polls wait till you see the numbers wait till you see the numbers

Now come on over here with me while I go and get into these tweets today’s fan tweets are brought to you by our newest sponsor seat geek which is great because if I ever need to get myself some Beyonce tickets and I have to find a hot

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The link in the description to download the app now let’s read some of my tweets here let’s go coach sha Bell writes is Dame Lillard the Dak Prescott of the NBA only puts up numbers when it doesn’t matter first of all that’s blasphemous that’s blasphemous right there don’t you ever

UT such disrespectful words out of your mouth again Damien Lillard is the reigning two-time three-point shooting Champion Damian Lillard okay is one of the most lethal scorers and lethal closers in the history of the game Dame time Dame time he says that for a reason you understand

What I’m saying we ain’t heard that from Dak we ain’t seen that from Dak last time I checked even though he lost in the Conference Finals Damen Lillard went to a Conference Finals has that happened for Dak Prescott it has not in eight plus years in the league the man has not

Been past the second round of the playoff hasn’t been past a divisional playoff in the NFL so don’t you dare make that kind of comparison again that is Blasphemous Blasphemous let’s get to our next week right here at be more like state right Stephen A if you had to pick

One person to help you out in a bar fight you picking Bruce Lee or Batman of course I’m picking Bruce Lee what’s matter with you Enter the Dragon are you killing me are you kidding me don’t ever ask that question again Batman I respect him but it’s all about

Gimmicks it’s all about gadgets that’s what is a hard heavy rubber suit you know got the cape that help him you know gravitate a little bit can bounce bullets off of rubb and all of this other stuff I get it but there’s nothing superhuman about Batman

Bruce Lee don’t have to be he’s just so spectacular you understand there would have been no Jet Lee if it wasn’t for Bruce Lee Shan XI remember that movie that came out I forgot the actor’s name name in real life but Shan X that’s a bad brother too that’s a good

Movie by the way but he’s no Bruce Lee Jim Kelly chuck noris boy didn’t think I knew about people like that right but I did but they weren Bruce Lee Bruce Lee the truth and a half of course I would pick Bruce Lee over Batman now if you said Superman it would

Be Superman Bruce Lee can’t fly and bullets can’t bounce off his chest but Bruce Lee over Batman all day every day next up what you got for me at Sundog Nation writes waffles French toast and pancakes rank them in order easy French toast waffles pancakes okay french toast you basically just toast

The bread but it’s nice moist with nice butter and nice syrup if it’s right it’s delicious okay waffles are good but they can mess it up if they make it too crunchy for me I don’t like hard waffles and you know you’re cutting it and then it’s just spreading all over the place

And stuff like that cuz it’s too too hard but I don’t like it too soft either I like it mildly toasted you understand and you do that with the waffles pancakes everybody loves pancakes but the problem is it bloats you more than the other stuff so you’ll walk around after

Eating you know you know I don’t want that I don’t want that okay French toast waffles pancakes in that order next up what you got for me at JJ Vikings okay look at the little kid right there Stevie love the kids he sure does he sure does dear Stephen A

I’m JJ Vikings a young teenager whose dream is to become an NFL analyst for the Minnesota Vikings I admire the work that you’re doing my question for you is what is the best part for you about what you do well it’s doing what I love to do

Doing what I feel I was born to do I loved Sports I loved giving commentary I loved expressing my opinion I I loved writing I loved articulating my thoughts my opinions my perspectives my Intel over the Airways whether it be radio or television so all of those things come

Into play doing what I love to do makes it feel like it’s not work and as a result no matter how many hours I’m called upon to to embrace the task at hand it doesn’t feel as uous as it feels for somebody who’s punching a clock and

Just doing a work every day to earn the salary but they don’t really love what they do here’s my advice to you young fella and take this advice from Stephen A because you’re going to feel exactly what I say you feel I don’t care how much you love being an analyst for the

Minnesota Vikings it’s not going to stop there eventually you’re going to want to call the great games let’s say for the sake of argument you want to do a Minnesota Vikings game right what if the Minnesota Vikings were 15 and one but the team they were playing was 1 and

15 but there was a game in Kansas City between between Kansas City and Baltimore or Kansas City and San Francisco and they were both 16-0 and the final game of the regular season or it was a playoffs and it was Kansas City versus Baltimore or if it was a superstar like Lamar Jackson

Versus Patrick Mahomes or what if it was Patrick Mahomes against Dak Prescott or what if it was Jordan love or Matthew staford going up against Mahomes or Josh Allen or somebody and Minnesota’s game wasn’t as thrilling you’re not going to want to do just Minnesota you’re going

To want to call the games that matter so it’s nice for you as a young whipper snapper to say that I want to become an NFL analyst for the Minnesota Vikings but remember that’s just your start the finish line is having your pick of the litter because you’re so great you’re an

A Team guy and when you’re an A Team guy that means you go where the best action is and that’s what you want appreciate the call last tweet right here let’s go to it at PFT Jim Stephen A does a straw have one hole or two holes it has one

Hole period some people could say it’s two because you got one at the top one at the bottom the reason I say it’s one is because it’s the same tunnel that’s what it is you understand so I don’t view it as two whole some people could view it as two they could

Do that but to me it’s one all right now let me get to the calls before I get on out of here for the day appreciate the love and support as always y’all thank y’all so much I’m enjoying doing this show today let’s get right to the calls

Right here at 888 SAS 5303 that’s 888 72753 three let’s go to Hassan in New York you’re live with Stephen A what’s up Hassan how are you Hassan are you there Stephen A Smith what’s up man what’s up talk to me how are you good good listen man when is Luca

And jish when are they gonna just team up man I’ve never seen jish have so much fun B basketball aside from last night I think the league is cooked when they meet up and just join a team what do you think about that well first of all it

Would be nice but it’s really why does joic need Luca he’s the reigning defending NBA champion when he and Jamal Murray are in the lineup together this year they were 28 and 11 when they’re not in the lineup together they’re eight and8 team a 500 team they’re the reigning defending NBA champions when

They were struggling years ago that was when Jamal Murray had his injury and he was compromised for two full seasons and as a result Denver was compromised as well because without him joic just ain’t the same when I look at Jamal Murray and I look at joic I say to myself they are

Spectacular they’re special together joic with Luca would be phenomenal in certain respects but remember Luca needs the ball and Luca holds on to the ball a bit much with Murray Murray passes it or he shoots it and his decisions are relatively quick that’s not Luka’s game

So I would say to you be careful what you wish for because when you look at Denver they’re already winning without Luca okay Denver doesn’t need Denver Denver doesn’t need L and joic doesn’t need Luca Luca needs them but sometimes just look like y isn’t having fun out there stop it that’s that’s

Ignorant what do you mean that look like you having fun he’s one he’s the champion what do you want him to look like what do you what what is the champion supposed to look like he’s the he’s the reigning defending Champion so who cares how he looks he’s

Winning he’s winning that’s all a minute it’s not a beauty contest it’s a basketball contest remember that gotta get out of here take care Jack you’re live with Stephen a Jack from Tucson Arizona what’s up Jack how are you I’m pretty good how are you Stephen I’m good

Man talk to me what’s up uh do you think that um Steph Curry is clearly the best point guard of all time because that is my professional opinion but I know a lot of other people um still think it’s Magic Johnson well here’s the deal let

Me explain to you what the deal is first of all it’s a legitimate question that you’re asking I’m not going toily dismiss it as if it’s an ignorant question it is not what I would say to you is that they’re both so great him and Magic Johnson that it has to be

Contextualized properly if you’re talking Quint essential point guard which is someone who facilitates opportunities for others then it is clearly Irving Magic Johnson 69 you know the fast break his distribution of the basketball it’s to Worthy on One Wing it’s to Byron Scott on another it’s to Cooper trailing the

Offense slows up it’s getting the ball L kareim Abdu Jabar is finishing at the basket himself it’s the no look passes it’s all of that it’s clearly Irving Magic Johnson if you’re talking about the quintessential point guard who is a distributor however if you are talking

About impact one could argue it is Steph Curry because Steph Curry the moment he gets past half court he’s a threat cuz he could pull up from 40 or 50 and make it like he’s hit the free throw he’s that lethal of a of a marksman he’s the

Greatest shooter we have ever seen and because that’s the reality you have to look at it from Impact I think about impact and I say you got to have your head on a swivel when dealing with Steph Curry so wherever he is on the court because you have to fear what he brings

To the table it frees up opportunities for others which is an indirect way of of contributing and facilitating opportunities for others whereas Magic Johnson more directly facilitates opportunities for others because he’s literally getting them the ball so that’s how I would look at it that is the only way to answer that question

There is no other way to definitively answer the question you have to pick your poison do you want somebody that literally feeds you to basketball or do you want somebody that is such a threat offensively because of his ability to shoot the ball that everybody’s head is

On a swivel because of him and you can get freed up because they ain’t watching you they’re watching him whichever way you want to go as long as you provide that explanation I think you’re safe all right thank you very much Stephen this is a little bit of a

Followup do you think Steph Curry has been the best player Far and Away in the NBA since 2015 no he hasn’t I think there have been times when Giannis s the DMO uh when Kevin Durant and LeBron James have given him a run for his money

And by the way a healthy kawhai Leonard by the way but that’s her appreciate the call Tyler in San Diego you’re live with Stephen A you’re the last caller what’s up what’s going on Stephen a first of all you know you’re a rockar and a real journalist that I

Really respect and you know some of these journalists who I won’t Name They Don’t Really respect the LA Clippers as the best team in basketball but they’re also coming out here saying that you know these All-Star players need a million dollars to play in the All-Star

Game so it’s not really like a glorified layup line my thing is when you look at that 2020 game you see its competitiveness you see the Elon ending and then you see last night I just think the game needs to be changed the Court’s too slippery the broadcasters don’t care

About the game and the format is just a little bit off I wanted to ask you what do you think needs to change about the game and about the All-Star Game in in general future I think that ultimately it comes down to a players’s willingness to care I don’t think there’s anything wrong

With the rules of the game the way the game is called or whatever I just think that the players are getting paid so much money uh far too many of them have basically given the league the finger and said the hell with y’all we going to

Do what we want to do the way we want to do it y’all prioritize these back to backs y’all put us in a position where we got to do this or that or whatever and you know what we got a lot going on physically throughout the season and in

The end we’re really really held accountable for what transpires beyond beyond April and as a result of that they don’t prioritize what they should prioritize which is everything as far as I’m concerned you’re getting off four to six months out of the year most teams

Are off six months out of the year the the elite teams are off at least four months out of the Year okay if you’re healthy play if you’re not you don’t I understand that but if you going to show up to Allstar Weekend show up and play

Don’t show up and snub your nose at the game and in the faces of fans everywhere by not competing you don’t do that just don’t show up don’t play rather than show up and just let people run up and down the court and have a glorified flag basketball game that makes no sense

Whatsoever it’s an insult to the game and and I think that that’s what the players have done and I think they have they should they they are accountable for it the people who paved the way for them to get this money to get this Prestige etc etc never did this so they

Shouldn’t that’s where I stand with it did you watched the full game last night Stephen A no I didn’t watch the full game last night I haven’t watched the full NBA All-Star Game in a decade because it’s been I don’t know what they can do to get you back no I

Don’t know what they can either I told you what they can do with the slam dunk contest I have a nationwide contest that’s what they should do in terms of the actual All-Star game itself just compete with each other compete to the level that you compete when you playing

In the summer at Loyola marry Mount or UCLA or whatever compete on that level get in a good workout you understand get in don’t don’t don’t just show up to put in some cardio don’t just show up and act like everybody should be grateful that you’re there you wouldn’t be what

You are if it wasn’t for the fans and this is the crime you know what the biggest crime about it is don’t you remember what it was like just three years years ago when you were playing in the bubble and there were no fans when you had to play in empty gymnasiums and

People were digitized you know they’re virtually watching you on on their home on their iPads and their laptops and all of this other stuff because of covid and nobody was allowed to be in attendance how could you endure that period of time recognizing how valuable it was for the

Fans to be in attendance but still treat this with the level of apathy and indifference that you’ve been treating it with it’s a travesty and to do it on the eve of the NBA trying to negotiate a new deal with the networks and what have you my God what insensitivity but that’s

What they’ve been doing and it needs to change I got to get on out of here my man I appreciate the call thank you so much all right that’s it for this week’s that’s we that’s it I appreciate the call man thank you so much that’s it for

This edition of the Stephen A Smith show got to get on out of here thank y’all for joining me I’ll be back in a couple of days or so never forget that okay and don’t forget to call in 888 SAS 5303 that’s 88727 5303 with your tweets with

Your calls etc etc appreciate the love keep it coming and I’m going to keep on coming okay we’re growing by the thousands each and every single day that’s not possible if it were not for you so I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I’mma keep it coming until

Next time everybody this is Stephen a signing off peace and love

Stephen A. talks NBA All-Star weekend’s Slam Dunk Contest, All-Star Game, and the Three-Point Contest. He also comments on the Brooklyn Nets firing of Head Coach Jacque Vaughn, and Trump’s latest money-making scheme. Emmy Award-winning TNT Analyst Kenny “The Jet” Smith also stops by.

On The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith gives you his renowned point of view, breaking barriers beyond the world of sports, and tackling pertinent issues across entertainment, pop culture, society, business, and politics. Three times a week, you’ll hear his LIVE unfiltered opinions on the day’s biggest headlines as well as straight-shooting interviews with top celebrities, game-changers, and thought leaders across the societal arena.

The Stephen A. Smith Show is sure to entertain, inform, and motivate anyone who tunes in.

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