Stephen A. Smith was as emotional as anyone after the New York Knicks won the NBA championship following a 53-year drought in Saturday’s 94-90 win in Game 5 over the San Antonio Spurs. The ESPN analyst called it the “best feeling” he’s ever experienced in his life while covering sports.
“I gotta confess, until this series, I never thought it would happen,” Smith said on SportsCenter from the Spurs’ arena. “I picked the Knicks to go to the finals in the beginning of the season, but I never thought they would win it. So many things have gone wrong, the layups that wasn’t with Charles Smith, the [Patrick Ewing] finger rolls.
“You know, the Game 7s that didn’t come out on top. I mean, time after time after time again, Steph Curry being the seventh pick in the draft when we had that eighth pick. You know, we had the third pick when Zion Williams and Ja Morant came in the draft. You know, everything that can’t go wrong, did go wrong.”
Stephen A. Smith described his experience of witnessing the Knicks first-hand deliver a championship as someone born in the Bronx and raised in Hollis, Queens, saying he never thought he’d see this dream come true. Smith felt speechless before finishing his interview, saying:
“It’s the best feeling I’ve had in my life covering sports.”
Smith has expressed his fandom on multiple occasions since leading ESPN’s top shows. However, he’s been just as critical of the team over the past few years when they weren’t winning. Some of his most infamous Knicks takes saw him call out Jalen Brunson’s free-agency addition in 2022, OG Anunoby’s trade in 2023, and retracting his finals prediction for New York in November after a blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Most Knicks fans remembered those takes after Stephen A. Smith’s emotional monologue on Saturday and refused to accept his support.
“STAY ON THAT SIDE @stephenasmith,” one X user wrote.
“The same guy who said Knicks season was over after a November loss to the Pistons, he’s a fake fan, man,” another said.
“Does anyone actually like this guy? At least he’s consistent in being inconsistent,” one fan added.
“@stephenasmith shouldn’t be allowed to celebrate. I know he has a lot of bad takes, so it’s hard to keep track. But tonight, let me remind people…” another fan wrote.
Stephen A. Smith explains how Jalen Brunson and Knicks saved the NBA
Even on an emotional night like this, Stephen A. Smith delivered an interesting perspective on the New York Knicks’ win. The ESPN analyst claimed that Jalen Brunson and the Knicks saved the NBA by beating Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Smith explained that the league wouldn’t have to address how to stop a 7-foot-5 “alien” if Wembanyama had won the ring in his first playoff run. Instead, Brunson infused the confidence that, despite having a star with physical limitations, you can still win the title.
“If San Antonio wins it all, the whole league has to start building around one question: how do you stop the alien, that 7-foot-5 alien from France?” Smith said no SportsCenter. “But instead, a 6’1 guard not the most explosive athlete, not someone playing above the rim just a smart, crafty basketball mind with elite footwork, ended up leading his team to the title.”
Read more:
- “Jordyn Woods Bags Are Gonna Sell Out Forever”: Fans Celebrate Karl-Anthony Towns’ Fiancée’s Lucky Charm in Knicks’ Title Win
- Jalen Brunson’s Dad Rick Brunson Makes Huge Patrick Ewing Claim After Knicks Win Title
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