Stephen A. Smith spent years teasing a presidential run while raking in tens of millions from ESPN.
Then he picked a fight with the wrong guy before a nationally televised NBA Finals game.
And Donald Trump made sure Smith walked away with a whole lot more than he bargained for.
Trump Fires Back After Smith Blames Him for Knicks Loss
President Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City recently, and Stephen A. Smith was not happy about it.
Before tip-off, Smith went on ESPN’s First Take and unloaded on the President for showing up. “This president has no business showing up in New York City. I am dead serious. It is selfish. It is narcissistic. It is ridiculous that he is coming to this game,” Smith said.
Smith even said that if the Knicks lost, which they did, losing to the San Antonio Spurs, it would be Trump’s fault. The Spurs won 115-111, snapping New York’s remarkable postseason run.
After the game, a reporter caught up with Trump and relayed what Smith had said. Trump’s response was short, pointed, and left nothing to the imagination.
“I think he’s a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president,” Trump said. “You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that. I don’t think he does, actually.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement for a guy who has been floating himself as a future presidential candidate.
Smith Has Been Playing Both Sides for Years
Smith, who has admitted to never having voted for a Republican, has also claimed that he is a “centrist,” and has argued that his self-touted centrism makes him a perfect candidate for president. That’s a tough sell when your record shows you’ve cheerled every far-left Democrat cause that’s come down the pike.
While Trump questioned Smith’s White House qualifications, the outspoken analyst has spent much of the past year addressing speculation about a potential presidential run. Although Smith previously suggested he was unlikely to run because of the financial sacrifices involved, he has stopped short of completely ruling out the possibility. During an interview with CBS News earlier this year, Smith said he expected to settle on a final decision in early 2027.
“I will make a decision in early 2027, but I am not ruling it out because I expect a lot of success to come my way,” Smith said. “And Lord help everybody if the amount of success comes my way ensures that I never have to worry about my quality of life ever again.”
And yet, in other moments, the money question seems to settle it pretty fast.
In March, Smith claimed that he has decided not to run for president in 2028, saying, “I don’t think I’m running either because I’ve got to give up my money.” “Let me put the presidential aspirations to bed. If I have to give up my money, it’s not happening,” Smith, who makes nearly $40 million a year, told Sean Hannity during a podcast interview.
So which is it? The man can’t seem to make up his mind, which is not exactly a confidence-builder for voters trying to size up a potential commander-in-chief.
Smith Fires Back, But the Damage Is Done
Smith didn’t take Trump’s comments lying down. He came back on First Take the next morning swinging.
“I could say I could put my IQ against yours,” Smith fired back at Trump. He also challenged Trump to debate him and demanded to know why the President had been, in Smith’s words, avoiding him for a year.
But Smith’s sharpest jab may have been about the economy, not intelligence. “I thought you were about the economy? I thought you were about helping New Yorkers because you love New York?” Smith said. He claimed that Trump’s presence at the Garden disrupted local businesses and hurt the bars and restaurants around the arena that count on big event nights for their survival.
Fair enough as a rhetorical point. But Smith also spent the morning before that game blaming Trump in advance for a loss that hadn’t even happened yet. You can’t claim the high ground on behalf of New York small businesses while simultaneously trying to pin a basketball game on a sitting president.
The Bigger Picture Here Is Hard to Ignore
Smith has built a massive platform at ESPN precisely because he’s loud, opinionated, and willing to say things other broadcasters won’t. Those are real skills. But there’s a significant gap between being a great television personality and having the temperament and judgment to run for the highest office in the land.
And the way this whole episode played out doesn’t exactly close that gap. Smith predicted Trump would cost the Knicks the game. The Knicks lost. Then Smith went on national television the next morning to argue with the President of the United States about whose IQ is higher. That’s entertaining. It’s also not what most Americans are looking for in a presidential candidate.
Trump, for his part, has been through the full gauntlet. He ran for president with no political experience, got elected, spent four years under relentless legal and political attack, ran again, and won in a landslide. Whatever you think of his style, the man has demonstrated the kind of resilience and political instinct that very few people in American public life can match.
Smith calling Trump a narcissist for attending an NBA Finals game in his home city is the kind of criticism that plays well in the ESPN studios. But Trump showing up at Madison Square Garden and drawing that kind of reaction from a prominent Democrat-leaning media personality is exactly the sort of thing that reminds his supporters why they voted for him in the first place.
The President doesn’t need Smith’s permission to attend a basketball game. And he certainly doesn’t need his blessing to weigh in on who does or doesn’t have what it takes to sit in the Oval Office.
Smith can fire back all he wants on First Take. But Trump got the last word before boarding Air Force One, and that’s a pretty hard image to top.
Sources: Breitbart, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Network, HuffPost, Deadline, TMZ