“I Wasn’t Intimidated By Kobe Bryant”: Former Bulls Guard Issues Stephen A. Smith a Stern Warning

The 2002 number 2 draft pick Jay Williams and ESPN veteran analyst Stephen A. Smith went off on each other last month after the latter was tearing Kyrie Irving apart on every other First Take appearance.

That was after Kyrie had requested a trade to the Nets’ front office and got himself to the Dallas Mavericks. The former Bulls guard claimed it might be something personal for Smith when it came to the 2016 NBA champ.

That was it for Stephen A. to go off. Watch the whole exchange here.

Jay Williams wasn’t intimidated by Kobe Bryant, why would he be by Stephen A. Smith?

Both Smith and Williams went on to make multiple podcast appearances since their verbal spat on ESPN First Take. The veteran analyst went to The Mike Missanelli Podcast and discussed the matter, while Williams made an appearance on Front Office Sports Today Podcast.

“I wasn’t intimidated playing against Kobe Bryant, what the hell makes you think I’m gonna be intimidated going against Stephen A. Smith,” Jay Williams told FOS. “I’ve played against some of the best athletes in the world, I’ve sparred with some of the smartest people on this planet. I don’t feel the need to back down from anybody and I think Stephen A. Smith is one of the best there is in TV, I also believe that I’m one of the best at what I do.”

Now, that is something Smith should have heard from somebody. The man has been disrespecting former NBA players left and right like they were nothing. It was about time.

It could be, Smith considers himself bigger than athletes

The 55-year-old analyst is undoubtedly one of the greatest sports journalists alive. That said, he is that because there is a sport and there are athletes to play in it and give him something to talk about day in and day out.

No way he is bigger than any of them or the sport. However, the $20 million worth sports media juggernaut certainly thinks otherwise. Look at this clip here, schooling NBA champion Kendrick Perkins like he was a nobody.

Anyone who claims to be an “expert” of the sport but has not played the sport professionally, should know their boundaries when they are sharing the screen with someone who has. Stephen A Smith clearly does not.

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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