Stephen A. Smith appears to have made yet another enemy.
The ESPN personality Smith was criticized for the claim that he made about Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown during an episode of “First Take” over the weekend. While live on the air, Smith read a text from what he said was a “league source.”
“It’s not so much he’s underrated,” Smith quoted the source as saying of Brown. “It’s that he’s just not liked because of his ‘I am better than you’ mentality. It’s the reason he’s not as marketable as he should be.”
Stephen A Smith on Jaylen Brown per a league source:
“It’s not so much he’s underrated, it’s that he’s just not liked because of his “I’m better than you mentality” it’s the reason he’s not as marketable as he should be”
The Celtics disrespect continues. pic.twitter.com/FUcCVjbExc
— Savage (@SavageSports_) May 26, 2024
Retired Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas was one of those not pleased about Smith’s comments. Thomas targeted Smith in a post to X on Sunday.
“I have been a friend, mentor and advisor to [Brown] since he was a student at UC Berkeley,” wrote Thomas. “He is 100 percent marketable and before you slander his name @stephenasmith tell your source to put their name on it or don’t speak on it. Let it be known.”
Smith then replied to Thomas that he had been a fan of Brown for years and expressed disappointment that Thomas called him out publicly instead of contacting him directly (citing their decades of knowing each other).
I have no idea what you’re talking about @IsiahThomas. I have been a fan of Jaylen Brown for years. Still am. What’s unfortunate is that YOU — who’s known for me decades — would choose to go on X to expressed whatever dissent you feel instead of calling me directly. But I get it.… https://t.co/uq7yCyhneJ
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) May 26, 2024
That led to Thomas responding that it was “all love” between him and Smith and that Smith’s source should be the one standing on their words.
All love between you and I @stephenasmith let’s talk when time permits. Tell your source to stand on their words and not use you to throw their stones. https://t.co/Q5TzEj6tZW
— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) May 26, 2024
Thomas is known for getting into petty feuds, especially with his bitter long-time rival Michael Jordan. But Thomas was definitely right-on here. Smith became responsible for that info once he shared it publicly on the air, and it was fair game for Thomas to then respond publicly to defend Brown.
As for Brown himself, who notably didn’t make an All-NBA team this year, he has starred in Boston’s Eastern Conference Finals series against the Indiana Pacers with 30.0 points per game on a tremendous 52.3 percent from the field. Brown also has a strong track record in the community, so any arbitrary criticism of his marketability rings pretty hollow at this point.
