Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart got to confront Stephen A. Smith face-to-face for some of the things he said about Brunson several years ago.
Hart and Brunson hosted a live version of their “The Roommates Show” at Madison Square Garden on Friday as part of the New York Knicks’ championship celebration. One of their guests was Smith, and the pair wasted no time in throwing Smith’s previous words in his face.
First, Smith was confronted with video from 2016 in which he said that year’s Villanova squad did not feature any NBA prospects. That team, of course, produced three players that started for the Knicks’ championship team. He also doubted Brunson’s ability to lead the Knicks to a title when the guard was signed in 2022.
Initially, Smith feigned not hearing the question, but Brunson and Hart did eventually get a mea culpa.
“I’m a grown-a– man. I was beyond wrong,” Smith admitted. “I apologized to this brother on national television. I’m apologizing to you. I’m apologizing to the entire Knicks organization.”
Josh Hart "Can you sit here & admit you were wrong?
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 20, 2026
Stephen A Smith "Say what?
Josh "Can you sit here & admit you were wrong?
SAS "I can't hear you
Josh "You. Were. Wrong
Jalen Brunson "APOLOGIZE"
SAS "…I was beyond wrong. I apologize…"@Roommates__Show on ESPN & YouTube pic.twitter.com/4EGbwAf7a4
Few people get to publicly chasten Smith like this. Normally, he responds to his critics in a much more combative manner, just as he did with Hart not too long ago.
Of course, this is one thing Smith is fine being wrong about. He is an avid Knicks fan who called the team’s win the best experience he has ever had while covering sports. If he has to be wrong about something, he would probably have wanted it to be this.
There has been no shortage of old takes that have been called out since Brunson led the Knicks to a title. Brunson himself has taken the high road to a certain degree, but there was no way he could let an opportunity like this pass him by.
