“Does Stephen A. Smith Deserve a Max Deal?”: Kyrie Irving Uses ESPN Analyst’s $100M Contract as Example on His Stream

Kyrie Irving has always been one of the most outspoken figures in the NBA. He recently started streaming on Twitch while rehabbing a torn ACL, and this has allowed fans to hear even more of his takes on basketball discourse. Irving recently spoke on the double standard of criticism that sports analysts give players about their contracts. He mentioned ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith as an example.

Criticizing players for not playing up to their contract isn’t a new concept. Whenever a player has a bad game, fans on social media are quick to bring up how much money they make despite their lackluster performance. Notably, Bradley Beal has become the star of this conversation, earning $53.6 million while averaging only 17 points per game.

When fans do it, it’s just a part of the game. However, fans tend to follow the lead of the prominent figures in front of the camera. Sheep will follow the shepherd. Irving attests that criticism regarding contracts should be a two-way street.

“I’m going to discuss Stephen A’s contract, and I’m going to say he’s not worth it,” Irving proclaimed on stream.

Kyrie literally said “someone might try and clip it up, watch the whole thing” and it happened pic.twitter.com/BXvD9CfVj8

— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) July 12, 2025

Irving made it clear that he wasn’t attacking Smith personally but just trying to get his point across. “Obviously, Stephen A., this is for an [example],” Irving declared.

Analysts are quick to call athletes public figures, but many of them are in the spotlight just as much. Smith is one of the most recognizable figures in the sports world, yet he hasn’t played a single second of any professional sport. However, he signed a five-year, $25 million contract with ESPN earlier this year.

That contract puts Smith’s salary above San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who is earning $13.7 million. Does Smith deserve to earn more than Wemby?

If these analysts are making just as much as or even more money than NBA players, they should receive criticism too, especially when they make uneducated takes that turn out to be wrong — something Smith has done on numerous occasions.

With players now creating their own platforms, fans don’t have to depend on sports media personalities to get their fix when it comes to the sport of their choice. Irving isn’t completely out of line.