ESPN host Stephen A. Smith has come under fire for comments made on his podcast regarding the Los Angeles Lakers' roster. Smith questioned the team's potential success with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler as its core players, citing their race.
"Where the hell the Los Angeles Lakers think they are going with a bunch of White dudes?" Smith said. "Your three top players are White dudes. Really? This is basketball. In NBA history, when has a team led by three White dudes ever gone to the promised land? Somebody gotta say it. You ain't going anywhere with three White dudes. Ain't no way."
These remarks have been labeled as anti-White bigotry by critics. The commentary also drew a response from Dan Dakich, who has previously spoken out against similar sentiments.
Smith did not respond to an email inquiry from OutKick seeking comment on why he believes White basketball players are inferior and whether he believes any Black athletes are inferior.
Critics pointed to historical examples of successful teams led by White players, such as the Boston Celtics trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Danny Ainge. The article also highlighted the current success of White players in the NBA, including Nikola Jokic, who is described as the best player in the league, and promising rookies like Cooper Flagg and phenom Caitlin Clark.
The author of the piece suggested that the perceived discomfort with White star players in basketball is a sentiment shared by others in sports media, including Kendrick Perkins, Jemele Hill, Monica McNutt, and Gilbert Arenas. The piece also referenced a prior comment from Sheryl Swoopes stating that "Black people can't be racist," to which the author retorted, "Yes, they can," citing racial hostility directed at Caitlin Clark.
Critics have argued that there are no repercussions for Smith's comments, attributing this to privilege. They suggested that suspending Smith would send a message from ESPN to others considering similar remarks.
Additionally, the article noted that Smith's show, "First Take," has reportedly experienced sluggish ratings, with Pat McAfee surpassing Smith as a prominent figure at ESPN. The commentary in question was cited as a potential reason for the viewership decline. The article also referenced a previous prediction that ESPN might regret its $100 million, five-year contract with Smith.