The NBA is a battlefield, and keeping fans hooked isn’t easy. But one force that never fades is ESPN. At its core? The unstoppable Stephen A. Smith. Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him and his voice. His takes? Explosive. His passion? Unmatched. And through all the chaos, one thing is clear—SAS keeps the NBA alive.
Not too long ago, ESPN had big conversations about extending Stephen A. Smith’s contract. Well, the news shouldn’t come as a surprise because, well, why would the media moguls let go of their superstar? Besides, SAS himself has shared intel on what’s going on. Moreover, it is true, that the 57-year-old analyst is receiving an extension.
However, there’s something more going on with the veteran analyst. And maybe, just maybe, it could connect to the 2028 Presidential Elections. Is he going to be the head of the country? Let’s find out!
Stephen A. Smith and his $100M fortune deal
Stephen A. Smith is ready to lock in his future with ESPN—“very, very soon.” Speaking to Front Office Sports on Wednesday, he made it clear: “I work at a great place,” and “We’re No. 1. We’re the Worldwide Leader. I’ve got great bosses. I’ve got great colleagues and friends. I love working there.”
With First Take dominating mornings, his contract talks have been a hot topic. But Smith isn’t sweating it. And, he’s confident a deal is coming, saying, “I’m anticipating that hopefully we’ll reach a deal very, very soon.” And when that happens? He’ll “march forward with ESPN for the foreseeable future.”
SAS’s ESPN contract is ticking down, but the money? Already settled (it seems so). Back in the fall, both sides agreed on the numbers—an eye-popping $100 million over five years. The real holdup? Balancing ESPN and Disney’s demands with his growing empire.
Smith isn’t just a sports guy anymore, he’s running Straight Shooter, named after his best-selling memoir, diving into sports docs, TV shows, and even politics. Plus, his YouTube show The Stephen A. Smith Show is booming. Few at ESPN get that kind of freedom, but Smith? He’s rewriting the rules.
For Stephen A. Smith, the deal isn’t about the cash—because “from a numbers perspective, we agreed months ago.” In fact, “literally months ago.” The real challenge is locking in the details. “Everything that I want to do, you gotta make sure all of that is there.” The fine print matters, because “the devil’s in the details.” And while the $100 million was settled “back in October,” Smith knows the real game is making sure the contract fits his vision.
Exclusive: Stephen A. Smith tells FOS that a new deal with ESPN is coming “very, very soon.”
Smith is believed to be seeking an estimated five-year, $100 million extension that would make him the highest-paid employee at ESPN.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 6, 2025
However, the real challenge isn’t also about the details, although he wants to nail them to the tee or even the money. Well, the money here is settled for and it’s pretty huge. But SAS wants freedom for his own projects, but ESPN’s lawyers are working out the legal language to make it all fit. “The issue is all the things that I just finished talking to you about, and what I want to do. Working out that language because lawyers get involved and all of that other stuff.”
Meanwhile, citing his relationship with the bosses at ESPN and Disney, Smith noted that kind of support is tough to find in sports media. “I have a very, very close relationship with [ESPN chairman] Jimmy Pitaro, who’s been incredible to me,” the veteran noted. “And [Disney CEO] Bob Iger as well, of course. When you have those kinds of relationships, you don’t buy those,” he strongly commented.
Surely ESPN has struck a golden luck with SAS taking over as the face of the brand. But now imagine, the same fearless voice, the unfiltered demeanor turning out to be the next President of the United States? Well, that sounds interesting. Rumors mills are running overtime, to say the least.
SAS to run the 2028 Presidential Election campaign?
Stephen A. Smith is teasing the idea of a 2028 presidential run (kind of). On The Stephen A. Smith Show, he stirred the pot, saying, “I might entertain running,” calling the Democratic Party “pathetic” post-election.
But on Hannity, he shut it down fast: “My lifestyle is quite lovely,” adding he’d never ruin it with politics. Still, with no clear frontrunner, he hinted that someone with his star power could be a contender.
Moreover, Smith thinks he could win. On First Take, he argued, “Somebody like me could actually win,” given the Democrats’ struggles. A January poll had Kamala Harris leading at 33%, Pete Buttigieg at 9%, Gavin Newsom at 7%, and Smith grabbed 2%.
Lately, he’s been vocal on politics, especially DEI. On YouTube, he slammed President Trump’s stance, calling out the idea that DEI justifies hiring “unqualified” minorities.
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“My issue with the eradication of DEI… it was the explanation that the Trump administration and others were giving about it. I don’t want to hear DEI automatically being about people who happen to be minorities that are unqualified,” Smith strongly remarked.
Amidst all the Presidential Election run rumors, SAS remains ESPN’s MVP, bringing the heat to NBA coverage like no one else. A $100 million deal is on the table, and with Disney+ in the mix, simply put his reach is only growing. There is no denying that the loudest voice in the league is going to stay around for a longer period. And hate him or love him, you truly cannot muffle his voice!
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