Stephen A Smith has made a career off of having loud and sometimes controversial takes, and he may not be everyone’s cup of tea. His fellow ESPN on-air personality and First Take co-host JJ Redick lashed out at Smith on Tuesday, and later apologized for showing any disrespect.
JJ Redick Apologizes To Stephen A Smith For Comments
SAS: "I don't understand much of what [you] just said, but I listened."
JJ Redick: "Well, you didn't play Stephen A. You don't understand our athletic mortality. 3 games at, wherever, South Dakota, Winston-Salem State doesn't count." 🤣pic.twitter.com/sg4NMsozj9
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 23, 2023
The LeBron James conversation on Tuesday morning was a given. After the Lakers’ disappointing exit from the Western Conference Finals, questions arose about the superstar’s future and whether he’ll continue playing for the Los Angeles, or at all.
During the First Take’s first segment, Redick responded to Smith’s analysis of the situation. Smith responded by saying, “I listened to every word JJ said. I don’t understand much of what he just said, but I listened.”
Redick clapped back:
“You didn’t play, Stephen A. You don’t understand athletic mortality. Three games at wherever. South Dakota, uh, Winston-Salem State doesn’t count.”
Redick gave a confident sniff at the end, which was followed by Smith giving his bona fides for being on television.
While the morning sports talk shows are meant to stir up controversy and host arguments between the panel, it doesn’t usually get as personal as it did between Redick and Smith on Tuesday. Smith’s lack of athletic accomplishments are often brought up by outsiders, but it is rarely something that his fellow on-air personalities bring up in debates.
"I let you get underneath my skin… I did not mean any disrespect to [Winston-Salem State University] or to you."
JJ Redick apologizes to Stephen A. Smith on his earlier comments to him in a discussion regarding athletic mortality. pic.twitter.com/w4unzoeKea
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 23, 2023
Redick took to the air later in the show and apologized for what happened.
“Stephen A, I just want to apologize. I’ll admit something and I shouldn’t admit this. I let you get underneath my skin in the A block, and I was a little flustered and I misspoke. I had a brain lapse and I couldn’t say ‘Winston-Salem State University’, and I didn’t mean any disrespect to that university or to you.”
In response, Smith put up his hand and shook his head as if to say that there were no hard feelings.
Redick has quickly become one of the more recognizable personalities on ESPN over the last year, though there could be even bigger things in his future. As of last week, he was the favorite to land the Philadelphia 76ers head coaching job, according to BetOnline.
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