The New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time in decades, and somehow Stephen A. Smith found a way to make it about himself.
After the Knicks continued their playoff run, Stephen A. went on television claiming he “deserves some credit” because he publicly called the team out earlier in the postseason. According to him, the Knicks “haven’t lost since.” That kind of statement perfectly sums up why so many sports fans are exhausted by modern sports media.
Nobody tunes into the NBA Finals wanting to hear analysts act like they’re part of the roster.
The story should be about Jalen Brunson carrying New York on his back. It should be about the Knicks surviving the Eastern Conference gauntlet. It should be about the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden and one of the biggest basketball fanbases finally having hope again.
Instead, the attention somehow gets redirected toward a television personality trying to insert himself into the narrative.
That has become the biggest problem with Stephen A. Smith over the years. Every topic somehow circles back to Stephen A. Whether it’s the Knicks, Cowboys, Lakers, or even baseball, there is always a moment where the conversation stops being about the athletes and becomes about his reaction, his prediction, or his influence.
Sports debate shows are supposed to enhance the conversation, not dominate it.
Fans already know Stephen A. is loud. They already know he loves New York sports. But there is a difference between passionate commentary and nonstop self-promotion. Claiming responsibility for a Finals run because you criticized a team on television is absurd. The Knicks are winning because Brunson is playing like a superstar, the defense has stepped up, and the roster has battled through pressure-packed playoff games. Not because somebody yelled on ESPN.
At some point, sports media personalities need to realize they are not bigger than the games themselves.
The NBA Finals should be about the players, the coaching adjustments, and the basketball. Instead, clips like this go viral because people are tired of the constant attention-seeking behavior from national media figures. Stephen A. Smith has built a legendary career and remains one of the most recognizable faces in sports television, but moments like this are exactly why many fans now view him as more annoying than entertaining.
The Knicks are four wins away from a championship. Nobody is hanging a banner for First Take.
