In a notable turn of events, Stephen A. Smith has publicly extended his apologies to Kyrie Irving, acknowledging his previous critiques of the NBA luminary’s actions both on and off the court.
During a segment on his Stephen A. Smith Show on Wednesday (May 29), the renowned sports commentator took a reflective stance, expressing remorse for his past fervent remarks regarding Irving’s decisions. Smith delved into his concerns, which included Irving’s stance on vaccination amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and his absence from games for reasons not related to injury.
“Kyrie Irving obviously has gone through so much. You look at those situations, you just found yourself saying, ‘Damn, this is a bad situation. It’s really bad.’ And Kyrie’s name was written all over it, and then he lost the sneaker deal and all he had was basketball,” Smith said.
Smith attributed his newfound perspective to fellow sports analyst and close confidant Kenny Smith, who helped him realize the flaws in his approach when discussing Irving’s controversies on platforms like ESPN First Take. Smith recognized accusations of being overly critical of the former top draft pick.
“It wasn’t until Kenny Smith placed that call to me that I had to look at myself differently. He reminded me of the numerous people that raised Kyrie, who also influenced me. When I talked about Kyrie in the fashion that I did, it wasn’t just a reflection on him, but also on them. When I looked at it that way, it gave me cause to pause,” confessed the New York Times Bestselling author
Assuming responsibility for his previous missteps concerning Kyrie Irving, Smith humbly declared, “I feel the way that I feel because I pride myself in being man enough to acknowledge when I’m wrong. If I think I’m wrong because, I think it’s rare, but I was wrong, and for Kenny Smith to tell me that, it hit home in a big way because we go back more than 30 years.”
Stephen A. Smith, once among Kyrie Irving’s vocal detractors, had questioned the basketball star’s commitment and judgment. Yet, Kenny Smith, a longtime friend of Irving, challenged Stephen A.’s own conduct, defending Kyrie.
“At one time, Stephen A. was an advocate for having a battle with Kyrie Irving. I had to call Stephen. I’m like, this guy’s from my neighborhood. I named like six people and I said, ‘Stephen A., those people mentored you. They mentored him. So when you say something about him, you’re actually saying it about us,” the former Houston Rockets guard said of his colleague.
Kyrie Irving has seen a revival since joining the Dallas Mavericks in the 2022-23 NBA season, following a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. While the Mavericks missed the playoffs in Irving’s first season, he has emerged as a leader, propelling the team to the brink of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
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