Okay, what’s up with Stephen A. Smith lately? He’s a decorated journalist and show host, but this past week has been filled with lowlights for him. We’re not even gonna get into the fiasco with LeBron James and his family, or the Pat McAfee interview. But SAS, while discussing how amazing John Calipari has been for the Hogs, said something we’re not sure he can take back!
There was a lot of uproar amongst Arkansas fans and the NCAA community after Calipari lost in the Sweet 16. Yes, the coach got a lot further than expected this season, but at this point? People expect a Cinderella story. However, Stephen A. Smith’s comments stole everyone’s attention.
On ESPN’s coverage of the March Madness, SAS gave credit where it is due. He appreciated Calipari’s resilience, and the rosters that he constructs, likening him to the great Nolan Richardson! However, the way he did it definitely raised some eyebrows. “He’s gonna be able to recruit better than anybody ever has there outside of Mr. 40 Minutes of Hell himself, the late great Nolan Richardson. God rest his soul.” The veteran broadcaster said, mistakenly assuming that the legendary Arkansas coach had passed. That, obviously, was not the case.
Nolan Richardson.
Still alive and well.
This is the issue when Stephen A tried to be an expert on anything and everything. https://t.co/gJOzu0jWX8
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 28, 2025
SAS later apologized profusely for his error on live television. “Before we even begin the show, I just wanted to make sure say I am fully aware that Nolan Richardson is alive. Trust me, I apologize for that.” He said, but fans weren’t convinced! Arkansas fans are prideful, and no fan ever forgets the one coach that has brought them a ring. Not only that, at the level of experience that Smith has, such errors aren’t mistaken easily.
It wasn’t the only factual blunder he has had this week. SAS dredged up the Kobe drama with LeBron, and had to apologize as well. The man has been covering high-level basketball for decades now, and the public is not easy to forgive such mistakes.
Fans call out Stephen A. Smith after a huge blunder
Social media, as expected, went wild after Smith’s remarks! The reporter had already received a lot of criticism from fans for being part of the March Madness crew, and this blunder definitely did not help. The matter goes above and beyond Arkansas fans at this point, as the NCAA community is fed up with the broadcaster.
Fans didn’t take kindly to the ESPN analyst’s mistake. “My god, what a horrible week for Stephen A.” A user said on X, referring to all of the drama SAS has been involved in these past few days. Another user wasn’t as kind, however. “Does he know anything about anything?”
The overwhelming issue that people have with the broadcaster is his lack of knowledge about the NCAA Tournament. It is one thing to cover the NBA, but college basketball? That’s a different beast altogether! And fans agreed. “I wish he just wouldn’t talk college ball at all. Anytime he opens his mouth about college ball, it’s just pathetic. He watches for like 2 minutes all year.” Another fan said, reinforcing the narratives around SAS’s coverage of college ball.
It wasn’t just an odd fan here and there, however. A user on X pointed out how the ESPN broadcaster was completely unaware of the trends in the college ball. “He said the other day he was shocked to see Arkansas was as athletic as St. John’s. He was shocked a Calipari team was athletic. My god man.” They pointed out, and it makes sense! Coach Cal is used to size, athleticism, and a lot of talent. The man has sent dozens of players to the league, and he has worked with real superstars.
The one thing SAS got right was the fact that Calipari is amazing at recruiting. Karl Anthony-Towns, John Wall, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo are only a few of the big names that he has worked with. He brought all of these would-be NBA superstars to Kentucky, and developed them into the players they are today.
One fan pointed out this misstep as a major reason behind ESPN and other broadcasting companies’ dwindling viewership. “He watches college basketball 1 wk before the tournament & lectures the audience about it. He’s overpaid for this type of analysis. It’s why ESPN is on the decline, it’s not about facts, it’s about opinions & the louder they are, the more they’re featured. Cable news is the same.” They said, calling out Stephen A. Smith and ESPN both for the way they approach news and information in general.
All in all, it was quite an embarrassing experience for FIRST TAKE and Stephen A. Smith. After the week that the legendary broadcaster has had, another blow to his reputation wasn’t needed at all. It will be interesting to see whether he learns from this experience moving forward.
The post Stephen A. Smith Kills Veteran NCAA Coach as Calls Mount Against ESPN Analyst’s Another Factual Blunder appeared first on EssentiallySports.
