ESPN’s most visible personality found himself at the center of attention for the wrong reasons on Tuesday. NBA star and Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball called First Take personality and heavy Worldwide Leader presence Stephen A. Smith out for something Smith said during one of his many network hits.
Smith was on First Take Tuesday, of course, and on the show discussed Ball and his injury woes. He is reportedly going to miss the entire 2023-24 season as knee injuries cause a severe detriment to the former UCLA standout and his career.
“Those are doctors, something went wrong in terms of these procedures he has had. I don’t think he’ll ever be the same,” Smith said from his seat at the desk. “Based off what we’re seeing and hearing and reading about.
“I’ve heard that it’s even hard for him to get up from a sitting position,” Smith claimed.
ICYMI: Stephen A. Smith said "I've heard that it's even hard for [Lonzo] to get up from the sitting position" https://t.co/maIKSocTBt pic.twitter.com/oWn06A2AHr
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 22, 2023
That audacious claim drew the attention of Ball, who decided to address the claims made by Smith head-on.
The Bulls star invited Smith to “come to the actual source next time” in a post on his X account. He added, “I’m not hard to reach,” and included a video. That video showed Ball standing up out of a sitting position, something Smith claimed he had heard.
@stephenasmith come to the actual source next time. I’m not hard to reach pic.twitter.com/88xyoB7LTf
— Lonzo Ball (@ZO2_) August 22, 2023
This is not the first time that Stephen A. has been called out for something. It’s also not the first time that a farfetched claim has been called out based on things someone “heard.” WFAN personality and former NFL running back Tiki Barber came under scrutiny recently over “reckless speculation” about New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
