Stephen A. Smith has been known to stir controversy with his audacious yet factual remarks from time to time. However, an incident made him realize he couldn’t undertake journalistic responsibility when it came to Allen Iverson.
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Stephen A Smith’s ability to handle sensitive and complicated scenarios in sports made him a proficient journalist. The American journalist’s willingness and eagerness to delve into the finer details of sports stories have made him an invaluable member of the media companies he represents.
Regardless of the backlash he faces, Smith does justice through his coverage, undergoing thorough research and analysis of the evidence presented before making his case. It’s the chief reason he has been regarded as the apex of sports journalism.
However, there came a time in the past decade when he realized he couldn’t indulge in the hardships mandated to be a journalist, thanks to Allen Iverson.
Stephen A. Smith once revealed that he had to stop covering Allen Iverson due to the nature of their relationship!
Allen Iverson was a polarizing figure during his NBA career. His lethargic attitude and chaotic behavior often landed him in trouble despite his greatness. In fact, before joining the NBA, Iverson faced the prospect of being imprisoned due to his involvement in certain reckless incidents.
Smith, a genuine journalist, often covered AI for the entity he was, despite his love and respect for the former NBA MVP. However, a certain incident between the two in 2010 led Smith to abstain from covering the former Philadelphia 76ers guard moving forward.
Smith recounted and said:
“Allen Iverson, it got so ugly in 2010. I was told there were people looking for me to do me harm because of how bad it appeared with me and AI. And when we sat down finally, it almost broke my heart because I’ve always had a lot of love for him, cause we’ve always been tight, but you know, he got into some situations, and you can’t just ignore every damn story, when you’re a journalist, you got a job to do.
Stephen A Smith continued:
“And all of these stories that were percolating, he said, ‘I don’t give a sh** about none of those stories, you know me, I don’t care about that..Al I care about is that, your name was on the byline’..He said not you, not you….Thats the day I knew that I could never cover him again.”
This is a rare insight into how complex and strenuous the relationship between the media and sports personalities can be. As a journalist, our foremost responsibility pertains to producing the facts and truth for what they are, regardless of our personal sentiments.
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Allen Iverson’s practice speech!
Iverson was undoubtedly a disputed figure. His ability to rile up his supporters while simultaneously making him a revolting figure in the eyes of his opponents made him a phenomenal presence for any franchise.
Although when it comes to Iverson, the thought that rings loudest was his response to a reporter’s question regarding why he missed practice.
Allen Iverson is and always will be a perennial great within the basketball spectrum.
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