If you are a fan of sports, especially basketball, you have probably heard of Stephen A. Smith. He is one of the most popular and outspoken sports journalists and commentators in the US. He works for ESPN, where he appears on several shows, such as First Take, SportsCenter, and NBA Countdown. He is also a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and a radio host for The Stephen A. Smith Show.
But how much do you know about his life and career? In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the facts and achievements of Stephen A. Smith, and why he is such a controversial and influential figure in the sports media industry.
Early life and education
Stephen A. Smith was born on October 14, 1967, in the Bronx, New York City. He was the fifth of six children of his parents, who were originally from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. His father was a baseball player and a hardware store manager, and his mother was a homemaker. Smith grew up in the Hollis section of Queens, where he attended Thomas Edison High School. He was a good student and a talented basketball player.
After graduating from high school in 1986, Smith enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, but he dropped out after a year. He then received a basketball scholarship to attend Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university in North Carolina. There, he played under the legendary coach Clarence Gaines, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith also became a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and a writer for the university newspaper, The News Argus. He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication.
Print media career
Smith began his professional career as a sports journalist in 1993, working for various newspapers, such as the Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News and Record, and the New York Daily News. In 1994, he joined The Philadelphia Inquirer, where he became a columnist and covered the Philadelphia 76ers, the NBA team. He also wrote about other sports topics and general issues.
Smith gained a reputation for being a hard-hitting and provocative writer, who was not afraid to criticize players, coaches, and executives. He also developed a network of sources and contacts in the sports world, which gave him access to exclusive information and scoops. He was one of the first journalists to report on the trade of Allen Iverson, the star player of the 76ers, in 2006.
Smith worked for The Philadelphia Inquirer until 2008, when he was demoted to a general assignment reporter after a dispute with the management. He then left the newspaper and became a freelance writer. He returned to The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2010, after a legal settlement, and resumed his role as a columnist. He is still a feature writer for the newspaper today.
Television and radio career
Smith started his television and radio career in the mid-2000s, when he joined ESPN as a contributor and analyst. He appeared on various shows, such as Pardon the Interruption, Jim Rome is Burning, and Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith. He also hosted his own radio show, The Stephen A. Smith Show, on ESPN Radio.
In 2009, Smith left ESPN and joined Fox Sports Radio, where he hosted another radio show, The Stephen A. Smith Show. He also became a basketball analyst for Fox Sports and an NBA insider for NBA TV. He also made appearances on CNN and MSNBC as a political commentator.
In 2012, Smith returned to ESPN and became a regular commentator on First Take, a debate show where he discusses sports topics with Skip Bayless and Molly Qerim. He is known for his loud and passionate arguments, his catchphrases, and his impersonations of celebrities and athletes. He also makes frequent appearances as an NBA analyst on SportsCenter and NBA Countdown, where he provides insights and opinions on the games and players. He also hosts his own radio show, The Stephen A. Smith Show, on ESPN Radio.
Smith is one of the most popular and highest-paid personalities on ESPN. He has a contract worth $8 million per year, which makes him the highest-paid sportscaster in the US. He also has a large and loyal fan base, as well as many critics and haters. He is often praised for his knowledge and passion, but also criticized for his arrogance and bias. He has also been involved in several controversies and conflicts, such as his feud with Kevin Durant, his suspension for his comments on domestic violence, and his apology for his remarks on Shohei Ohtani.
Personal life and achievements
Smith is a private person and does not reveal much about his personal life. He has two daughters, who he keeps away from the public eye. He is not married and does not have a wife. He is a devout Christian and a supporter of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and a mentor, who supports various causes and organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club of America, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the Winston-Salem State University.
Smith has received several awards and honors for his work and contributions. He has won the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association’s Sports Columnist of the Year Award twice, in 2003 and 2004. He has also been inducted into the Winston-Salem State University’s Clarence E. Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame, the New York Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame, and the John B. McLendon Jr. Hall of Fame.
Smith is one of the most influential and successful sports journalists and commentators in the US. He has a unique and distinctive style and voice, which makes him stand out from the crowd. He is a master of his craft and a leader in his field. He is a source of inspiration and entertainment for millions of sports fans and viewers. He is Stephen A. Smith.
What Are Some Of Stephen A. Smith Awards?
Stephen A. Smith is a well-known sports journalist and commentator who has received several awards and honors for his work and contributions. Some of them are:
He won the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association’s Sports Columnist of the Year Award twice, in 2003 and 2004.
He was inducted into the Winston-Salem State University’s Clarence E. Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame, the New York Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame, and the John B. McLendon Jr. Hall of Fame.
He received the Stephen A. Smith Award from the National Communication Association’s Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society, which recognizes the top-ranked student papers in communication studies.
He revealed his Heisman Trophy winner for 2023, which was Bryce Young, the quarterback of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
What Is Stephen A. Smith Net Worth?
According to various sources, Stephen A. Smith’s net worth is estimated to be $24 million as of 2024. He earns most of his income from his work as a sports journalist and commentator for ESPN, where he reportedly makes $13 million per year.
Controversy And Activism Of Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith is a sports journalist and commentator who works for ESPN. He is known for his outspoken opinions and controversial remarks on various topics, such as domestic violence, race, politics, and sports. He has also been involved in some activism, such as supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and speaking out against police brutality.
Some of the controversies and activism of Stephen A. Smith are:
In 2014, he was suspended by ESPN for suggesting that women should not “provoke” their abusers, after the NFL suspended Ray Rice for assaulting his wife.
In 2010, he defended Floyd Mayweather, who had a history of domestic abuse, and accused his ex-wife of lying to extort money from him.
In 2016, he criticized Ayesha Curry, the wife of NBA star Steph Curry, for tweeting that the league was rigged against her husband. He said she should act more like a “good NBA wife” and not bring attention to herself.
In 2020, he supported Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who protested against racial injustice and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem. He said Kaepernick was “a personification of what protests are supposed to be about” and praised his courage.
In 2021, he apologized for making insensitive comments about Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese baseball player who is a star pitcher and hitter. He said Ohtani’s use of an interpreter was harmful to the popularity of the sport in the US, and implied that he was not a good face for baseball.
Conclusion
Stephen A. Smith is a passionate and influential voice in the world of sports journalism. He has faced many challenges and controversies in his career, but he has also shown his commitment to social justice and his respect for diversity.
He is not afraid to speak his mind and challenge the status quo, even if it means upsetting some people. He is a role model for many aspiring journalists and sports fans, who admire his courage and honesty. Stephen A. Smith is more than just a commentator, he is a leader and a legend.
