Stephen A. Smith is at the center of another controversy, and this one is not going away quietly. His comments about the Los Angeles Lakers’ recent free agent signings crossed a line that a lot of people are not willing to overlook.
The specifics are ugly. On his First Take segment, Stephen A. made remarks tying the Lakers’ new signings to their demographic in a way that came off as flatly racist. Social media picked it up in real time. Screenshots of the segment were everywhere within an hour.
This is not the first time Stephen A. has stumbled into hot water for reckless commentary. It happens often enough that it can no longer be brushed off as a one-time slip. The pattern is the pattern. And ESPN keeps letting it slide because his ratings are so high.
What makes this one different is the reaction from the players. Several current NBA players have already spoken out. Fans are calling for accountability. Even other ESPN talent has quietly distanced themselves from the segment.
The Lakers have not officially responded, which is probably the smart play. Rob Pelinka has bigger things to worry about right now, like the Walker Kessler trade and the massive spending spree that followed. But you can bet the front office noticed.
Stephen A. has apologized in the past for similar comments. He will probably apologize for this one too. That is the cycle now. He says something inflammatory, it goes viral, he does damage control, ESPN pretends nothing happened, and everyone moves on until the next time.
At some point the network has to decide if the ratings are worth the reputation hit. First Take is still the most-watched sports debate show in the country. But every controversy erodes credibility, and there are only so many times you can put out fires before the whole building goes up.
The players are watching. The league office is watching. Advertisers are watching. Stephen A. has built a massive brand off saying whatever comes to mind, and that formula worked for years. It might be starting to wear out.
The bigger picture question is what kind of commentary we want dominating NBA discussion. There is a place for strong opinions. There is not a place for this. Everyone knows the difference.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
