“Giving His Opinion”: Denny Hamlin Defends Under Fire NBA Analyst

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin recently chose to side with veteran sportscaster Stephen A. Smith as the latter became the egg of Golden State Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr’s wrath. According to the NASCAR superstar, Smith was just doing his job.

Hamlin posted on his social media in response to the backlash against Smith, “@Stephen is one of the highest paid, most watched, highly intelligent, most respected analysts in sports. This was him (Smith) defending his comments on the Draymond situation. Doing what he gets paid to do. Analyzing a situation and giving his opinion on it.”

“Hopefully this helps,” Denny Hamlin added.

But what was so egregious about this exchange that had the NASCAR sensation all stirred up?

It all started when Draymond Green hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face, after the Warriors’ 119-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns. It wasn’t long before Green was suspended indefinitely for his behavior.

After Green’s third ejection in 2023, Stephen A. Smith questioned Stephen Curry’s leadership, and that is where the heated exchange began. “Where’s the leadership?” said Smith. “If this were LeBron James, if this was a teammate of LeBron James, we’d be all over LeBron James. I don’t think that we should be holding Steph Curry to lesser standards.”

Perhaps this is what infuriated Kerr. He burst out, “Really?’ Like, that’s the angle you’re gonna take? You’re gonna question Steph Curry’s leadership? Like, really? You’re gonna do that? Think about that.”

Although Steve Kerr didn’t take the name of Smith, the latter didn’t pull any punches, slamming Kerr during Friday’s episode of “First Take”.

Stephen A. Smith calls out Steve Kerr

Smith explained that he wasn’t questioning Steph Curry’s leadership and that Steve Kerr was just twisting his words. Smith said, “I don’t even wanna use the words that I’m tempted to in terms of him fawning over Steph Curry. We all fawn over Steph Curry. Why would you try to twist it like that?”

“Because you’re such a phenomenal leader. Because you’re the closest thing to perfection that I think most of us have ever seen as a professional athlete. We’re asking about the impact that you’ve seemingly been unable to have on a teammate who loves and reveres you, like Draymond Green,” added Smith.

Smith explained that if it were someone like LeBron James instead of Curry, the fans would have blamed it all on him. Smith felt like the responsibility on Smith’s shoulders was no less than it would have been on those of LeBron James.