Stephen A. Smith is under fire again for comments he made on ESPN, this time about the Nigerian men’s basketball team.
On Monday’s edition of “First Take,” Smith criticized Team USA for losing to Nigeria in an exhibition game over the weekend. In doing so, Smith came across to some as mocking and mispronouncing the names of several Nigerian players, including his reference to “some dude Gabe Nnamdi who goes by ‘Gabe Vincent’ for the Miami Heat.”
This is exactly what needed to said about TEAM USA!!! pic.twitter.com/duH385AlwR
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) July 12, 2021
Nigeria Basketball fired back at Smith on Twitter, calling the segment “pure disrespect” and “low, even for you.”
A one minute clip with no basketball analysis and pure disrespect to the names of our culture.
Do better please @stephenasmith. This is low, even for you. https://t.co/H6m69KCwL2
— D’Tigers | Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) July 12, 2021
They weren’t done there, either. Nigeria claimed another win on Monday, this time with a 23-point win over an Argentina team ranked fourth in the world in the latest FIBA rankings. The twitter account didn’t miss the chance to go after Smith a second time.
Nigeria leads the fourth ranked team in the world by 24 points in the fourth.
Maybe they will learn our names now. pic.twitter.com/Qc3h8145OW
— D’Tigers | Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) July 12, 2021
We don’t subtweet. So yes we are talking to you @stephenasmith
— D’Tigers | Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) July 12, 2021
Smith faced plenty of criticism for some other things he said on Monday’s show as well. He refused to back down in the face of that criticism, though it remains to be seen if he’ll offer any further response on this topic.
