Mondays on First Take are typically reserved for football. But on the latest episode of ESPN’s morning debate show, Stephen A. Smith had some personal business to attend to.
Over the weekend, Kevin Durant made headlines by referring to Smith as “a clown” in an interview with The Athletic. The comment came on the heels of the 2014 NBA MVP taking to social media to respond to criticism that the ESPN star had issued regarding him and the Phoenix Suns on a recent episode of First Take.
“Yeah, Stephen A., I don’t understand how people even listen to Stephen A.,” Durant told The Athletic. “I’ve been in the league for 18 years. I’ve never seen Stephen A. at a practice, or a film session, or a shoot-around. I’ve never seen him anywhere but on TV talking s— about players. … He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown. You can write that, too.”
Never one to hide from a confrontation, Smith carved roughly four minutes out of Monday’s episode of First Take to respond. And what followed was a virtuoso sports talk television performance in which the 57-year-old bounced between showering Durant with praise and insulting him.
“I got bad news for Kevin Durant: If you’re expecting me to reciprocate with that kind of pettiness and childishness, it’s not gonna happen,” Smith began. “Kevin Durant is one of the greatest players to have ever played this game. He’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s a two-time champion and two time Finals MVP and I’ve been on the record saying he’s also a good dude. So if he wants to resort to that level, even though we’re both grown men and if he had something to say, he knows my number and he refrains from doing so that’s what he has to live with.”
Smith then dismantled Durant’s criticism that he’s never seen the ESPN star at a practice or shootaround, not only calling it false, but noting that it’s no longer his role to attend such events.
“Respectfully, Kevin Durant, could you stop lying, please? I’ve been an NBA reporter and I was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer as well,” he said. “Kevin Durant has seen me in the locker room when he was at Oklahoma City. He has seen me in the locker room when he was at Golden State. He has certainly seen me at games throughout his career. But unfortunately for him, I don’t have to be at shootaround and I don’t have to be in the postgame locker room. I happen to have a hit show that’s been No. 1 for 12 years. I have other things to do with my time. I go to games all the time. I’m not a beat writer anymore. So let’s get that out the way.”
Stephen A. Smith responds to Kevin Durant calling him a “clown”: “I will not disrespect him the same way he disrespects me. It’s unfortunate that no matter how old he gets, his sensitivity seems to heighten with it and his maturity it doesn’t. But that’s something he has to deal… pic.twitter.com/nzujKIJUyU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 4, 2024
Smith went on to question who Durant thinks is worthy of talking about him, noting that the Texas product has gotten into spats with a variety of pundits, as well as current and former NBA players, all of whom he has seemingly dismissed as unqualified to do so. He then noted that while the 36-year-old might publicly state that he doesn’t value Smith’s opinion, that hasn’t stopped him from being cast in multiple projects for Durant’s media venture.
“I’ve always had profound respect for him,” Smith said. “I’m the same guy, Kevin Durant, that you asked to show up on your show, The Boardroom. I’m the same guy that you executive produced a documentary on Stephon Marbury and featured me in it. I’m that same guy that you said you don’t want anybody to listen to, yet you had me on stuff you executive produced for people to listen to. Now, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.”
Smith proceeded to plug that he’ll have more to say about the matter on The Stephen A. Smith Show, before taking a final parting shot on ESPN’s airwaves.
“I’m not finished at all, but I will not disrespect him the way that he disrespected me. It’s unfortunate that no matter how old he gets, his sensitivity seems to heighten with it and his maturity doesn’t, but that’s something he has to live with,” he said. “Not me. I respect him. He’s a treasure to the game of basketball. I love seeing him play and I sincerely wish that he doesn’t get swept again in the playoffs, like he has two of the last three years.”
Well then.
While there was some obvious hypocrisy in Smith repeatedly stating that he wouldn’t stoop to Durant’s level before clearly doing just that, he did raise some valid points.
Ultimately, Durant’s criticism that Smith doesn’t spend any time in NBA locker rooms rang hallow, especially when — as Smith noted — his track would suggest he’d still take issue with the criticism anyways. It’s also fair to question why Smith has been cast in projects for the Boardroom when the company’s co-founder claims he doesn’t respect his opinion.
At the core of the Smith-Durant feud appears to be two highly opinionated people who both feel validated by the heights they’ve reached in their respective industries. And it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon, as both sides not only remain steadfast in their criticisms of each other, but seemingly play them up.
[First Take]
