← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Full Show: Stephen A and former NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell breakdown NBA playoffs.
00:56:53
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- [00:00]
Stephen A. Smith
At&t has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed like.
- [00:05]
Sam Mitchell
Getting through self checkout by yourself.
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Stephen A. Smith
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- [00:30]
Sam Mitchell
Visit att.com.
- [00:32]
Stephen A. Smith
Guarantee for details.
- [00:39]
Daniel Jeremiah
The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.
- [00:46]
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
- [00:49]
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.
- [00:52]
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.
- [01:01]
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:22]
Stephen A. Smith
What's up everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Coming at you as I love to do at the very least three times a week over the digital airways of YouTube and of course, iHeartRadio. As always, before I get into the show, I'd like to take a moment to thank my subscribers, my followers, my listeners for all the support that they continue to give me and this show. There is no us without you. And to support the show the way that you have, the way that you've been doing, my gratitude knows no limits. I can't thank you all enough for the millions of downloads we've received over iheartradio over the last few months. And of course the subscriber base that has now exceeded 1.18 million over the digital airways of YouTube. Can't thank y'all enough for the love and support. Keep it coming and I'mma keep on coming to continue to like and follow the show. Just click the bell in the right hand corner to get notified for all of our newest content and you too shall consider yourself the newest member of the Stephen A. Smith show family. And while you're doing so, make sure to pick up a copy of my New York Times bestselling book, Straight Shooter, A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes, now in paperback. Just go to straightshooterbook.com to get yourself a copy. Once again, that is straight shooterbook.com to get yourself a copy. Now let's get to the NBA and the opening Weekend of the NBA playoffs, we saw some tight games and some blowouts in both the east and the Western Conference. And I've got the perfect person to.
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Break it all down, ladies and gentlemen. He's a former head coach and an analyst on NBA TV and Sirius xm.
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The latter two he's doing right now. He's a former head coach.
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Please welcome the one and only Sam Mitchell to the show. What's up, Sam? How you doing, bro?
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Sam Mitchell
Another day above dirt, my man. It don't get much better than.
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Stephen A. Smith
Well, listen, listen, listen. I. I like my life. I like to live a long and healthy life. So I got to keep myself alive by making sure I do the obvious before I even get into anything with you. How's the wife? How's the family? I can't have them saying I ain't ask about them. How's everybody doing?
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Sam Mitchell
You? They're doing good, man. Thank you for asking. Because you know the first thing they going to ask is, did he ask about me?
- [03:25]
Stephen A. Smith
That's right. That's right. Because they know I call you all the time because you wanted the people that just teach me more and more about basketball. And we talk about it. We've been talking about it because we've known each other for so many years. Sam, I gotta admit to you, I got the Lakers winning this series against Minnesota. I knew that Minnesota. I knew that Minnesota was going to win some games, but I didn't expect Minnesota to walk into crypto.com arena in LA and whip their ass.
- [03:49]
I did not see that coming.
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Sam Mitchell, why did that happen?
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Sam Mitchell
Well, first of all, the leader of that team is the biggest pimp that you can name, Anthony Edwards. I mean, dude, he's not afraid of anything. And look, a lot of guys have tried to sell what Anthony Edwards is, you know, that Persona, but they tried to sell it, but that's not who they really were. That's who this kid is, Stephen. I mean, he. He likes those challenges. You know, I. I listened to you earlier this morning on espn, and you talked about when he went at Kevin Durant, how many people, how many basketball players have really went at Kevin Durant on the basketball court, eye for eye, and give up 6, 7 inches in the meantime and do the work that he did against Phoenix. And so I look at this young man, and he's not afraid of Luka, he's not afraid of LeBron. He relishes the challenge. And then when you look at Minnesota, they're big, they're athletic, and they're younger, and these Guys have been through those battles before, and then they got a coach in Chris Finch, who I love. That said before the series, I'm not going to match down to the Lakers. We're a big team. We have our most success when we're big. I live by that philosophy. Stephen A. You know this. You and I talk basketball all the time for the past 25 years, my brother. And if your best lineup is your big team, why am I going to go down and match down to you when my best lineup is big? Why am I going to go small when I know I'm playing your game?
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Stephen A. Smith
Playing the devil's advocate?
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My answer to that would be, I assume other people's answer to that would be, well, you did, and you had some success with that last year until you ran into Luca when he was.
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A Dallas Maverick and he beat y'all.
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To death in the conference finals, which propelled the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
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Whereas now Lucas in a Lakers uniform.
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And instead of Kyrie Irving as a sidekick, he's got LeBron James as his guy.
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So how do you answer that?
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Sam Mitchell
The difference is they're big, but they're different. Julius Randle adds a different element to this basketball team. Think about it now. Carl Anthony Towns was a score. He was a finisher. He could pass and make plays. But what does Julius Randle love the most? The biggest thing he get criticized is he wants the ball. He wants to be a facilitator. He wants to make plays. That's how Julius Random feels his worth as a basketball player. You play. Some guys get off by getting 25 a night. Like Chauncey Blub said Carmelo needed to score. Other guys get off by having to have the ball facilitated. That's who Julius Randall is. And if you go back to game one, this is what messed the Lakers up with that small lineup. Austin Reed, man, I felt sorry for him. Julius Randle and Nas Reed was just beating the bejesus out of him, just backing him down, beating him up. And then this is the thing, Stephen A. That you know the game within the game, that people that the television and the commentators don't talk about. Every time that ball go up on the Glass, Austin Reeves, LeBron James and Luka Don got to put a body on somebody. These guys are younger, bigger, stronger, more athletic. And you know this. When you lean in on somebody for 48 minutes, at about 42 minutes of that game, your body's gonna give in and give out. And so to me, people did not think about all. They get caught up in LeBron, Luka, Austin, Reed, the skill set. But they don't understand this game is going to be played in the alley. And Chris, Chris Finch is not going to let this game govern down the court. He's going to make it a half court game because he's going to make the Lakers be physical. And when the Lakers match up big, they're too little.
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Stephen A. Smith
So what you trying to say, bro?
- [07:21]
Sam Mitchell
I picked, look, I picked Minnesota off the rip and I didn't think you.
- [07:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Picked Minnesota to win a series.
- [07:25]
Sam Mitchell
Yes, go back and ask G when we made our predictions. And I told G this is not going to be a tough software hard series for Minnesota. It may go six because Minnesota bigger, more athletic. And understand something. This Minnesota team went to the Western Conference finals last year. They've had a taste. And then look at their depth, their bench. And then I'm telling you, man, all Austin Reeves has got his hands put. JJ Redick and that coaching staff got to figure out how do they want to match up with, with Minnesota. How are you gonna. Everybody kept saying, how's Minnesota going to match up? Think about this. Luca had 37. Now what? Look at this, look at the game.
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Stephen A. Smith
Well, I don't expect LeBron to have 19 again.
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Sam Mitchell
I expect LeBron could have had 25 and they still would have got beat, right? If I can count, LeBron could have had 25, 26, 27, they still would have got beat.
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Stephen A. Smith
So as a result of that, you're anticipating that the Lakers are going home.
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In the first round.
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And if LeBron James and the Lakers go home in the first round, the Minnesota Timberwolves, what does that say about the Lakers? Sam Mitchell, what do we think if that happens?
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Sam Mitchell
Stephen, you know this, my brother. The playoffs are about matchups. If you get the wrong draw, if you draw the wrong team in the first round, that can be a nightmare for you. I always go back to this analogy. You remember when the Clippers were the worst team in the NBA for 20 years? Well, when I played for the Minnesota Tim Wolves, we could not beat the Clippers. And when we finally clinched a playoff birth, we beat the Clippers in the old arena in la. And we were celebrating and people were like, y'all are celebrating. You beat the Clippers. Well, we had not beat the Clippers in three years. They just had our number. And I'm, I'm, I'm afraid to say this to you, Stephen A. Minnesota was the worst team that the Lakers could draw in the first round because of.
- [09:16]
Stephen A. Smith
Their size and their physicality.
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Sam Mitchell
Well, Luke, think about that. Lucas still got 37, but Minnesota's still going to pick him up. Full court, they're still long and athletic. Luca got to work to get his 37. And then this is what the Lakers did. What did they revert back to? This is the problem. When you have Luke and LeBron, it's so easy as a coach to just give them the ball and watch them go to work. And in the regular season, that gets you a lot of wins. But in the playoffs, when I got time to set my defense and match up and focus on one team, and I said, okay, Luca can get his 35, LeBron can get his 25. Who else is going to score? We gonna lock everybody else down. So guys who are my primary defenders on those two guys, don't worry about if they get theirs. We just not gonna let everybody else get theirs. And then guess what we're gonna do? We're gonna pound them on the glass. When that ball go up, we're gonna make Luka and LeBron do dirty work. We're gonna make them box out, make them rebound. And then, Julius, when you get the ball against Austin Reed, I want you to beat him up with the basketball, take away his legs and make Austin Reed start thinking about defense and rebounding.
- [10:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Other than score, if LeBron goes home in the first round, you know, there's a goat conversation that keeps circulating that all of us are tired of talking about. You know where I stand? It's Michael Jordan all day, every day. LeBron, we in the same era of all time. We in the same era, the whole nine. But if he.
- [10:40]
Sam Mitchell
No disrespect to LeBron, we love.
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Stephen A. Smith
Right, well, you do. Got it. But the point is, is that, you know, my question to you is that where does that leave the discussion? Whether it's on him, whether it's him.
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And Luka and what they'll do into the future, whether it's the future of the Los Angeles Lakers.
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What would a first round exit with the Los Angeles Lakers mean in your estimation?
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Sam Mitchell
Well, I think, look, they've had a very successful first season. I think J.J. redick has exceeded, exceeded expectations as a coach. The young man. The young man is proven. He knows how to coach and more importantly, he knows how to manage difficult personality when you're coaching LeBron, Luke and others. And then look, the man coached his team through catastrophic wildfires, lost his own home that he was living in. So look, my respect for J.J. redick and what he's done as a first year coach is beyond magic. Look man, I'm a Darvin ham. He's a friend of mine. I didn't like the way Darvin was fired. But look, when you look at the proof is in the pudding. JJ Reddick has done a better job. So we can lay that argument to bed right now. But at the end of the day, the playoffs are about matchups. And the Lakers got the short end and the shitty end of the stick. My brother by being Minnesota because again, and I hear you say this all the time, that athlete was dude like him or love him or whatever or dislike him. He's a different kind of dude. Man. This stuff that people talk about, all this stuff don't bother him. This is a different kind of animal, man. This team is going to take on the personality of one or two people, either your head coach or your best player. And this team has taken on Anthony Edwards personality. And look at the swagger. Look at how they walked into that arena. And Stephen, this is the thing that, that I was looking at the whole night. It was never a doubt in their mind or their body language when they stepped on that floor. They played like act alike. Look at that. Well, 8 for 22. He didn't have a great game. Now think about and missed a quarter.
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Stephen A. Smith
Because of the calves, because of the cramps.
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Sam Mitchell
So think about when he goes 15 for 22, what it's going to look like because he's going to have a night like that. But this team is confident because they know who they are. Stephen A. And I'm just telling you the Lakers gonna have to try to match up. And when they do that, Jackson Hayes just too small. He just not enough enough in the past.
- [12:54]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me move on to the next subject.
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I'll say this last point about Anthony Edwards. Other than he looks Jordanes at times in backto back years if he knocks Kevin Durant and then LeBron James and Luka Doncic out in the first round, that's saying a lot. We can't ignore that. Just, we just can't ignore that.
- [13:09]
Let me go on to a matchup.
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Where it isn't necessarily a nightmare. And that's for the Golden State Warriors. They ended up picking Houston. We know that Houston's bigger, they're longer, they're more athletic. They. They a better rebounding team. They're formidable defensively, but they struggled to score. And that haunted them last night because when it really, really counted, they didn't have Steph Curry and they didn't have Jimmy Buckets. As in Jimmy Butler, as in playoff Jimmy. Your Thoughts about what you've seen in game one of this series thus far?
- [13:37]
Sam Mitchell
Not surprising. Look, I love Houston, I love Eme Adoka, what he's built, the culture, the defense. But they can't score. They struggle to score the basketball. And I said it before the trade deadline for all the people. Oh, Houston should wait. I thought it was one or two people Houston should have rolled a dice on. They either should have went at Kevin Durant or Jimmy Butler. Think about Kevin Durant or Jimmy Butler or Jimmy Butler on this Houston team right now adding a legit guy. Look at what Jimmy Butler has done in the playoffs. Think about this, Stephen A. You hold the Golden State warriors to under 100 points and they still beat the brakes off you. So if you're Houston, if I hold them to under 100, but yet I can only get to 80 or 85, that is not a good thing. So I think, look, it's squaring Houston right in the face this off season after they get beat by four or five in four or five games by Golden State, which is not going to be an embarrassment because. Because they, they probably understood, let's wait and see how this thing was going to pan out. But once they get beat, expect them to go all in hard if Kevin Durant becomes available. Because if you add Kevin Durant to that team, that physicality and the way they defend, they just need another guy that makes everybody attention centers around him, which will make everybody else on that team better.
- [14:54]
Stephen A. Smith
If you are the Houston Rockets, I think right now, if the series goes long, you keep the team intact in all likelihood because you're just young and you went to, you fell to an experienced team. If you continue to struggle this way offensively and glaringly and Jalen Green can't do it for you like he couldn't do it last night, then I think if the Houston, if the Phoenix Suns call and they say, listen, you want Kevin Durant, we want our picks back. And we. And Jalen Green, I think you're the Houston Rockets. You got to strongly, strongly consider that even though Kevin Durant is 35 years of age, to that you say what?
- [15:37]
Sam Mitchell
I say, yeah, because look, you're still keeping a core. Look, I coach Jalen Green in high school. I love Jalen Green and if I love Emea Doka, but I will put the ball more in Jalen Green's hand as this series, I would put him in a lot of picking roles and let him come off that high screening role which would force Golden State to trap him. Because if you switch on the Jalen Green, he can break you down. He made a move last night where he dribbled out the shot clock and still made a reverse layup in the. Against the guts of the Golden State warriors defense. I thought was an unbelievable move, but he needs more opportunities with the floor spread. But that being said, look, if you're Houston, you're going to have to listen to it because again, what you may realize is that you're one prolific score away from going deep into the playoffs and having a chance to win a championship. Think about this. Look at what OKC did to Memphis last night. Do you honestly think if you have the inability to score, what will OKC do to you? And you can't score the rock.
- [16:31]
Stephen A. Smith
Damn.
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Sam Mitchell
I told people, hey, man, people. People kept saying about, oh, okay, see, don't have experience. I said, that can be negative and that can be a positive. Because sometimes the best thing you know is what you don't know because you're not afraid of it. And just go play.
- [16:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me give. Let me.
- [16:46]
Let me throw this trip.
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Let me throw this question to you. This interesting question to you. If you're Kevin Durant and you have a choice, do you want to go to Houston or do you want to go to okc? Not that OKC would do it, but they got everybody's picks, it seems like. I mean, they got nothing but assets, and Phoenix is in desperate need of them because they don't have a first round pick available to themselves until 2030. So my attitude is, is if you're Kevin Durant and you had a choice with these two teams, Houston, okc, considering the assets that they have available, where do you think he should go, who he should want to go?
- [17:17]
Sam Mitchell
First thing I would do before I would consider OKC going back there, I would pick up the phone and want to talk to Shay. Because what that young man has done at okc, the. The way he's brought this team together, where all those guys pull for each other, love one, yes, they do. And I know no shade personally. He loves okc. He wants to win a championship for okc. So if I'm Kevin Durant, I got to make sure it's okay with him. Second, just looking at it on on from apples to oranges, I would say Houston, from this standpoint, you got a coach in Eman Doker who's gonna hold everybody accountable. You got a coach in Medoka who gonna play you at that small forward position because he don't want you playing that power forward position where you Getting beat up every night, but you gotta box out and rebound and all that dirty work. I don't. I kept telling people at this stage of Kevin Durant game, you got to keep him clean. You can't let him get sacked. Don't play him at the power forward, play him at the small forward. So I know if he goes to Houston, Emea Doka, who played the game, is going to definitely use him the right way. And he can minimize Kevin Durant getting beat up and beat down because he plays him at that small forward or that two guard position where all he has to really worry about is guarding perimeter guys and scoring the rock. So I would say from a pure basketball standpoint, either one of those places, but I would lean a little bit towards Houston.
- [18:36]
Stephen A. Smith
How the hell was Phoenix this bad this year with Booker, Durant, Beal? You're 36 and 46. I know they were like 3 and 14 without Kevin Durant missing the 17 games or so that he missed. I get that part. But Frank Vogel, you're a former coach. Not just a former player, but a former coach. Frank Fogel wins a championship for the Lakers in 2020, comes there one year in Phoenix, he gets booted out. Mike Budenhozer wins a championship for Milwaukee against Phoenix in 2021, he comes there for one year, he gets booted out. And I'm looking at these guys. Are you gonna look at yourself? Coaches getting fired left and right in, in, in. In two years on the job? Ishbia. Matt Ishbia, the owner for the Phoenix Suns, got, gets rid of Monty Williams, who took him to the finals and two championship coaches. And you've got Kevin Durant, you've got Bradley Beal with a no trade clause, and you've got Devin Booker. How the hell is this situation this bad?
- [19:31]
Sam Mitchell
Because Steven, they didn't fill out the rest of the roster around them properly. You're playing Kevin Durant at the power forward. At 36 years old with the injuries that he's had, really, do you really want Kevin Durant? You won't. Kevin Durant got to go in there and get 10, 12 rebounds every night, boxing, out hitting people. No, I want KD on the wing playing the two of the three. I want him shooting jumpers. I want him posting up smaller guys shooting over him. And then when they put a bigger guy on it, I don't care if we're cross checking coaches. Oh, we're cross checking. That's why he's got to go to big guy. So what? Let them worry about Us, man, you gotta. When you got three all star caliber players, you're walking into the building with a bazooka, not a handgun. Use it. Second, your role players, everybody's got to know their role. I would have went to Bradley Beal from day one and said, look, you're going to finish games, but I need to balance out my roster. I'm going to bring you off the bench, all right? This is about competing and winning a championship. You made your money. You've done everything in this league but win. Don't you want to win? Right? And so sometimes as a coach, you got to help players make decisions. I kept hearing, well, Dylan Bradley decided, no, that's not leadership. Your job is not to be liked, but to lead. Your job is to be respected than to be liked, right? So lead this team. Put people in that place. That right there would have made Kevin Durant and Devin Booker sit up in their shoes, and it would have made everybody else in that locker room stand that attention because they understand Coach Bud would have been in complete control. Then you build that roster around them and you give everybody a role. Y'all job is for these two guys to go score, keep them clean, set screens, do the dirty work. The same thing we did in Minnesota around kg. KG didn't have to get grimy until we got to the playoffs during the regular season. That was our job. When I played for the Indian Pace with Reggie Miller, Reggie Miller didn't have to get grimy until we got to the playoffs during the regular season. That was our job. So your role players got to understand their role and they got to cherish it because you got Book and Kevin Durant and then you got Bill coming off the bench. So I just thought it was because it was a veteran team. The coaches go in there and try to have a conversation with people instead of directing people and coaching people. And I tell people this all the time, Stephen, you know this. We as coaches and basketball players, our whole life, we've been told what. What to do, what time to do it and how to do it. And I think coaches, when they come into a situation with superstars, they take a step back and they get a little tentative and they start negotiating instead of coaching.
- [22:03]
Stephen A. Smith
You brought up grinding. You know, you grind to come playoff time or whatever. I've been lamenting the fact that my Knicks haven't looked like that this year. Not look like the same team that they were last year when they had Randall before he got hurt. And then of course, you got Josh hard and you got. You Know I mean Hartenstein before he departed for OKC etc. But they showed up in the playoffs against the Pistons and they going to 24, 21 to nothing running that fourth quarter. I like what I saw from my New York Knicks. I'm very, very pleased. This series however is something that is one that I think could go seven games. Real quick your thoughts about it.
- [22:34]
Sam Mitchell
I think you're right. I think this a tough matchup for the Knicks. Look, Detroit Pistons are not afraid of the Knicks. They had success against them in the regular season and you could tell the way that game started. And halfway through that game Detroit kept taking control. The Knicks just kept fighting. I think for the Knicks they got. They figured out their formula how to play against Detroit. Cade Cunningham, there's no one can guard him. And when they put him at that high screening role and bring that screen up high and he gets downhill at seek take. It's a nightmare for the Knicks. But I think if you're the Knicks, use Carl Anthony Towns. I was happy for Carl, his defense was great, he made some timely shot. But all the Knicks players showed up. That was a great win for the Knicks right there. OG Ananobi has been light side for him. If the Knicks can beat the Pistons in a five in about six games and gain confidence. If the Knicks play like they played in game one going throughout the rest of the playoffs then I will believe this version of the Knicks can scare Cleveland or the Boston Celtics.
- [23:35]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't think they can scare Boston. Cleveland, yes. I don't think they could scare Boston. I think Boston is just too low to got too beat up a little bit. I know with Jaylen Brown. I get that with Jaylen Brown and now Jason Tatum.
- [23:46]
So there's some concerns. I'm just talking about my only reason.
- [23:48]
Sam Mitchell
For this Doc and I know you're Knicks fan, my only reason. I give you a little pause for this. This Remember Carl Anthony Town's greatest asset is offense. In order to beat the Boston Celtics you gotta have you gotta score guys that you gotta score. You ain't beating them playing because they can score. The Knicks can put five guys on the floor that you gotta guard now they couldn't do that in the past.
- [24:11]
Stephen A. Smith
I got you. I got you. I gotta move real quick with these last couple of questions. Let me stay within the Easton conference right now. I don't need to talk about Boston and Orlando right now. How much of a legitimate threat are the Cleveland Cavaliers? I love Mitchell. I love the way what I'm seeing from Garland Mobley has really elevated his level of play. Atkinson has really proven himself to be a really quality coach. You know, they've got some size. They defend, they rebound. The pickup of, of, of, of Hunter, DeAndre Hunter was a big, big deal. I think that if Cleveland handles their business in these first two rounds and they face Boston in the conference finals, which we're all anticipating, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Boston gets to the finals, even though they should be the favorites.
- [24:52]
Sam Mitchell
Your thoughts before the season. During the season, I kept saying before the trade deadline, my only concern about Cleveland at the 4 position, they weren't big enough. When they made that DeAndre Hunter trade, I said, okay, look out. He's 68 and he can score and shoot the 3. And then when you look at Evan Mobley, who's 6 10, who can defend perimeter guys where Boston beat you as though bookend four was Tatum and Brown, no one can match up to him. Now, if you go on the court and you put 6, 8, DeAndre Hunter and 6 10, 6 11, the other kid out there, that's going to be 13, maybe all NBA now we can defend, and this is the difference. Evan Mobley and DeAndre Hunter can go back at you offensively now. So now Tatum and Brown will have to play some defense, and they're going to have to box out Mobley. So this is a different animal for the Boston Celtics now. I think when they added DeAndre Hunter, that gave me a little bit more life to say they're longer at that 2, at that 2, 3 position. They can compete a little bit.
- [25:53]
Stephen A. Smith
Two more questions before I let you go. Real quick, Sam. I love the idea. I love seeing Damian Lillard and Halliburton going at it verbally, thinking that Damian Lillard, I'm, I'm thinking that Damian Lill is going to come back. I want to see what him and Giannis on the court together for the first time in the postseason could do to me. If they win this series, we should be excited. If Dame comes back and they lose, who knows what Giannis might want to do with his future. Looking at Milwaukee, being who they are, your thoughts?
- [26:29]
Sam Mitchell
I think one, if they can come back, he's got to come back. Giannis needs two. I picked Milwaukee in this series, right. Even though going against my better judgment after game one. But if they're not going to win this series unless Dame comes back and be Dame Lillard now.
- [26:41]
Stephen A. Smith
Absolutely.
- [26:42]
Sam Mitchell
And I think he's gonna come back. I don't think Dame is the type Person that's gonna run his mouth knowing that he can't write the check to try to back it up. So I think when D was running his mouth at Halliburton, he was kind of letting them know, all right, Junior, I. You gonna see.
- [26:57]
Stephen A. Smith
He said, I'mma bust your ass.
- [26:59]
Those were his words.
- [27:00]
I'll bust your ass.
- [27:00]
Sam Mitchell
So when I say that that plan on, you're gonna see me in this series. And I, I would be shocked if it ain't game two.
- [27:09]
Stephen A. Smith
And you believe they'll win if Damian Lillard comes.
- [27:11]
Sam Mitchell
Well, I picked them. I. I picked them, you know, but Indiana's been good. Indiana's been the one team. Yep. They can score now. That's one thing about the pace. If they get any defense at all, they can flat out score.
- [27:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Listen, you talk about sleeping. I snored on Kawhi Leonard.
- [27:28]
I didn't care what he was doing. I didn't care that he was averaging over 25 in a month of March.
- [27:31]
2.
- [27:32]
53% from the field, 43 point range. I said, call me come playoff time. Let me see if he gonna be.
- [27:37]
On the court healthy.
- [27:38]
Sure enough, he was there. He was there. Had 22 points, but was a no show at clutch time. Only attempted two shots, only made one, was a non factor. Committed two pivotal turnovers. And Russell Westbrook was that Energizer Bunny for Denver who had the benefit of Jamal Murray and YIC in the lineup together. Your thoughts about that series real quick. We slept on the Clippers, but coaching again. Ty Lu, Jeff Van Gundy is your defensive coordinator. James Harden's been balling. Gotta give him love and credit. He's in foul trouble and still had 32 and 11. Your thoughts about the Clippers?
- [28:11]
Sam Mitchell
I think the Clippers is the team that everybody's picking right now to be the team that can come out the west sneaky. Right. But again, Kawhi Leonard is going to have to step up. I think when you look at the coaching staff, Tyler is going to have to tweak some things. He's got to get Kawhi better touches in different areas of the floor because they have. Look, Denver has no one that can really guard Kawhi Leonard like, like LA Clippers have. Anyone can guard the joker, but the two people that everyone slept on with the Clippers, and you said it, James Harden and Zubot, man, Zubak has quietly become the fourth or fifth best center in the NBA. And when you look at James Harden, look, man, without James Harden and the 79 games and the way he played this year, we would not be talking about the Clipper. But to your point, you're right. They gotta get Kawhi back to being Kawhi at the end of the game. But this series can definitely go seven because these are two evenly matched team. I think Denver David Alderman is going to do a good job. He was on my staff in Minnesota. He's smart. And people forget dapper don't fall far from the tree. His dad, his dad invented the Rick Adams. Rick Adams and that guy, David Adams. When I was in Minnesota, we ran the corner offense. The first day we put it in, I said, da put your dad's offense in because you grew up sleeping with it.
- [29:25]
Stephen A. Smith
That's right. My man, Sam Mitchell, former NBA coach of the year, now doing great work on NBA TV and on SiriusXM NBA Radio. Appreciate you. Love you, bro. Good to see you, man. We'll catch up down the line.
- [29:37]
Sam Mitchell
You know, I tell people this, people don't be shocked when he run for office. Now. I keep telling people that. Don't be. And not just some little rinkity. He ain't trying to be mayor of of Scranton, Pennsylvania. We talking about your president said, I'm gonna leave it at that.
- [29:51]
Stephen A. Smith
I got you.
- [29:52]
Got me.
- [29:53]
Sam Mitchell
If I ever do it, bro, you got me.
- [29:55]
Stephen A. Smith
You know, if I whatever you do.
- [29:57]
Sam Mitchell
Because I like money too much.
- [29:59]
Stephen A. Smith
I like my money too much. So I ain't doing it.
- [30:01]
But if I haven't decided to do it, I'll make sure you got an invite to the White House.
- [30:04]
Sam Mitchell
You know that I'm gonna be on your committee.
- [30:07]
Stephen A. Smith
All right, my man. Appreciate it, bro.
- [30:09]
Thank you. One and only Sam Mitchell right here with Stephen A. Right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show.
- [30:14]
Coming up, it's been another week of bad headlines for Defense Secretary Mr. Pete Hegseth. His hex that's already on the hot seat.
- [30:22]
I mean, President Trump. Make America safe again. We have to make America safe again. We have to have competence and everything else. What's going on, sir? We'll dive into all of that, plus.
- [30:35]
Some quick hitters on WrestleMania and the upcoming NFL draft.
- [30:39]
Don't go anywhere. It's Stephen A. Smith in the house. Don't touch that dial. You don't want to miss this next segment. Foreign.
- [30:49]
Everybody listen up. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day, the.
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Bom Han
Yo K Pop fans. It's your boy Bom Han and I'm bringing you something epic. Introducing the K Factor, the podcast that takes you straight into the heart of K Pop. We're talking music reviews, exclusive interviews, and deep dives into the industry like never before. From producers and choreographers to idols and trainees, we're bringing you the real stories behind the music that you love. And yeah, we're keeping it 100, discussing everything from comebacks and concepts to the mental health side of the business. Because K Pop isn't just a genre, it's a whole world and we're exploring every corner of it. And here's the best part. Fans get to call in, drop opinions, and even join us live at events. You never know where we might pop up next. So listen to the K factor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This isn't just a podcast. It's a movement.
- [32:31]
Sam Mitchell
Are you ready?
- [32:32]
Bom Han
Let's go, go, go.
- [32:40]
Daniel Jeremiah
The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.
- [32:47]
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
- [32:51]
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.
- [32:53]
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on, the clock will break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made.
- [33:02]
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [33:16]
Stephen A. Smith
Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. Let's get to Washington, D.C. please. And the troubling headlines tied to Defense Secretary Mr. Pete Hegseth. In the wake of the signal chat controversy, Hegseth made moves to essentially close ranks around his senior staff. Top advisors Dan Caldwell was escorted from the Pentagon and soon After Darren Selnick.
- [33:41]
Followed, that same day, nearly every single.
- [33:44]
Member of the Pentagon's Defense digital service.
- [33:47]
Announced they were resigning as the week progressed. Again, we're talking about just one week. Last week, Hegseth, quote unquote, reassigned his chief of staff and then asked the Pentagon's former top spokesperson John Elliott to resign.
- [34:05]
And just this weekend, two sources tell NBC News that Hegseth used his personal phone to send information about US Military operations in Yemen to a third teen person Signal Group Chat, including his wife and his brother.
- [34:22]
And according to the report, Hegseth did.
- [34:24]
So after an aide warned him to be careful not to share sensitive information on an unsecure communication system before the Yemen operation. So here, just to help y'all out.
- [34:38]
Here are just three moves from the.
- [34:40]
Past month that had many inside the Pentagon and around Washington questioning his leadership.
- [34:45]
It started with Signal Gate, where Hegseth.
- [34:48]
Tried to debunk the reporting through a vague denial that, quote, nobody was texting war plans, end quote. Then a Wall Street Journal journal reported.
- [34:55]
That Hegseth brought his wife, a former.
- [34:57]
Fox News producer, by the way, into.
- [35:00]
Two meetings with foreign military counterparts where.
- [35:03]
Sensitive information was discussed.
- [35:05]
And finally, the Pentagon set up a top secret briefing by the Joint Chiefs.
- [35:10]
Of Staff on China for Elon Musk, who still has extensive business interest in China. According to former top spokesperson John Elliott, the White House canceled that meeting after learning about it. Does this sound like Competence to you? 13 person chat, chat thread, national security information, Having your wife and brother on that text chain, showing up to certain meetings with your wife. How'd that sound, ladies and gentlemen?
- [35:52]
Now, see, I don't want to sit.
- [35:53]
Up there and get into Pete Hag Seth. He served our country honorably. He was a weekend host on Fox News. All I ever said was, how do you go from a weekend host on Fox News to overseeing our national defense as defense secretary, overseeing three and a half million people, how are you qualified to do that? How are you qualified to do that?
- [36:18]
That's all I ever said.
- [36:19]
I'm not wishing anything bad on him. I'm not wishing him to fail.
- [36:23]
Him failing is us failing as a.
- [36:26]
Nation, which endangers all of us.
- [36:28]
When you're the Secretary of defense, I'm.
- [36:29]
Feeling you on that. I got that part.
- [36:32]
What I'm saying is, more importantly than anything else, it puts us in a position where we've got to question Donald Trump, the President of the United States. I'm going to hire the best. I'm going to have the best staff, the most elite people working for me, the most qualified people working for me. They're going to be better than anybody you've ever seen in American history. All of this other stuff, what about that? See, your fealty and your loyalty to the President of the United States, how you want to deify him, as questionable as that may be, if not flat out pathetic in the eyes of others, really is not the point. The point is why does your loyalty or fealty towards him extend to such a degree that we want to put on blinders when it comes to people he may have in his Cabinet? It's a fair question. When the plane collided with the helicopter and lives were lost, God rest their wonderful souls, in that crash months ago, the first words out of Trump mouth was to blame DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion. Well, sir, Mr. President, do you have any evidence of that? Oh, no. I had to go on national TV and say DEI really should stand for didn't earn it, as opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion. But when you look at what's transpiring right now, particularly as it pertains to our security in this country or for this country, there's a reason to be alarmed. Why do I say that? Because the hits keep on coming for President Trump's Cabinet. Just yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had her purse stolen at a restaurant in D.C. inside the purse was her passport, a driver's license and government access badge. $3,000 in cash and blank checks, according to the reports. According to USA Today specifically, the Secret Service has launched an investigation to trace any use of her financial assets. Ladies and gentlemen, pause for a second. Pretty please. Trigger on one dude is a secretary.
- [38:46]
Of defense making these mistakes. And I had a Homeland Security just got robbed. Pickpocketed essentially. Not even pickpocket. They stole a purse.
- [38:57]
Secret Service around the people like that, they still stole a purse.
- [38:59]
How the hell it happened?
- [39:02]
Protecting the country. You can't protect yourself from some of the most basically rudimentary things that you should be able to avoid letting happen. By the way, this comes from the same cabinet. I mean, have you seen Pete Hegseth speak in the past? Do you remember when the whole email scandal involving Hillary Clinton that a lot of people on the left believe cost of the election because a week before, a week or two before the election, James Comey, then the head of the FBI decide to announce that there was an investigation into emails that Hillary Clinton was was using on a private server, thereby threatening national security in the eyes of critics who wanted to take her down. Well, guess what, Pete Hegseth. The same Pete Hegseth that we're talking about. Same Pete Hegseth that got his wife and his brother in text change with national security information that Pete hag.
- [40:05]
Seth.
- [40:06]
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to rewind.
- [40:08]
The clock about nine years when the.
- [40:11]
Whole Hillary Clinton thing was going down right prior to the election. Listen to Pete Hegseth talk about Hillary Clinton at that particular moment in time. This is Pete Hegseth and we are quoting.
- [40:21]
Any security professional, military, government or otherwise would be fired on the spot and.
- [40:26]
Criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information.
- [40:32]
Say what? Say what? Say what? He actually said that? Yes, he did. Yes, he did.
- [40:39]
He most certainly said that. Put that quarter piece, say Hank said up there again. Please put it up on that full screen again. I need everybody to see it. Because this man who is the defense Secretary for the United States of America, who got busted exchanging information of national security importance about the hooties in Yemen ultimately scheduled to be bombed, that same dude said that about Hillary Ronald Clinton. Any security, professional, military, government or otherwise would be fired on the spot and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information.
- [41:27]
So that don't apply to you now, huh, sir? Not at all. I mean, you just completely innocent all this.
- [41:36]
And now you got Homeland Security secretary getting her purse snatched. So we got the Department of Defense and Homeland Security being compromised on personal levels involving security matters. And that's who Donald Trump is telling us to trust without national security. Remember what Trump said about Hillary Rodham Clinton.
- [42:05]
This is going to take a minute.
- [42:08]
Listen to the 47th President of the.
- [42:12]
United States, who he is now when he was en route to becoming the 45th President of the United States, competing with Hillary Rodham Clinton for the election in 2016. Take a look at Trump and what his positions were. Let us listen, please.
- [42:29]
G
I think the one that you should really be apologizing for and the thing that you should be apologizing for are the 33,000 emails that you deleted and that you acid washed and then the two boxes of emails and other things last week that were taken from an office and are now missing. And I'll tell you what, I didn't think I'd say this, but I'm going to say it, and I hate to say it, but if I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation. Because there has never been so many lies, so much deception. There has never been anything like it. And we're going to have A special prosecutor. When I speak, I go out and speak. The people of this country are furious. In my opinion, the people that have been long term workers at the FBI are furious. There has never been anything like this where emails and you get a subpoena, you get a subpoena and after getting the subpoena, you delete 33,000 emails and then you acid wash them or bleach them, as you would say, a very expensive process. So we're going to get a special prosecutor and we're going to look into it. Because you know what? People have been, their lives have been destroyed for doing one fifth of what you've done. And it's a disgrace. And honestly, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
- [43:53]
Stephen A. Smith
Needless to say, Hillary Rodham Clinton followed that up immediately by calling that a bunch of lies, encouraging folks to fact check her, claiming that it was a complete fabrication, etc. And that was the same moment when she was saying, she said, thank goodness somebody like him is not our commander in chief and overseeing law enforcement in this country. And that was when Trump said, yeah, because you'd be in jail. So that was the same, you know, back and forth that happened in 2016. I only bring that up because since Trump is about law and order, since he is about competence, since he is about transparency, since he is about all of these things, what's up with your peeps? What's up with, you know, Kristi Noemes, that's not a fireable offense. You're looking at Secret Service, how you let somebody snatch a pocketbook. But in the case of Pete Hegseth to find out that his wife and his brother no national security clearance. There was a part of these, this, this, these communications and you've got national security folks appalled by that. Something has to be said about that. Something has to be done about that. Now the White House is calling it fake news. These reports that, saying they're looking to replace him. According to everybody that I've spoken to, because I've, I've cultivated a few sources in Washington over the past few months. Of course they say that, you know, knowing Trump, he'll probably stick with Pete Hegseth just because the national media is trying to compel him to let him go. And Trump doesn't want to ever be seen as somebod who caves in to such pressure. Nevertheless, that is the situation right now. There are numerous reports, NPR came out with something, White House called it fake news. CNN said something, others have said something in regards to Pete Hegseth maybe approaching his final days as the Secretary of Defense for the United States. The White House says no, that's not the situation. We'll see who's right, who's telling the truth, and who's wrong. We will find out. But what's undeniable and undebatable is that at this moment in time, the inexperience of Pete Hag Seth has shown. And that's all I've been saying. You know, to go from a weekend host on Fox News to being the Secretary of Defense for the United States of America is a bit extreme of a push. And when you're willing to do something like that, you don't get to turn to everybody else and talk about DEI being a problem. You know, you're supposed to be, especially the President of the United States. You're supposed to be making sure that people in these positions are qualified to do the job. That should be a priority just as much. I wouldn't say more, because loyalty to the president does matter. You have to have people in your cabinet that you can trust. So I'm not going to dismiss that. But equally as important is their competence and their professionalism and their integrity. And right now, people believe they've got a question. Look at Pete Hegseth and question all of that. And in terms of your Homeland Security secretary and your secretary of defense both being embroiled in security issues, that doesn't seem like the President of the United States has big the vert that has picked the very best and the very finest for the jobs. It's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. Coming up, John Cena reigns supreme again at the wwe.
- [47:48]
And what the hell is going on.
- [47:49]
With Shador Sanders and his reported draft status? I'll get into all of that to close out the show. Plus, if I'm in the mood, I'll respond to some of your tweets. I'm not going anywhere. I do this show several times a week, so I might or I might not. Depends on my mood. Stick around. Here's the Stephen A. Smith show. Back with more in a minute.
- [48:09]
Bom Han
Yo, K Pop fans, it's your boy Bom Han, and I'm bringing you something epic. Introducing the K Factor, the podcast that takes you straight into the heart of K Pop. We're talking music reviews, exclusive interviews, and deep dives into the industry like never before. From producers and choreographers to idols and trainees, we're bringing you the real stories behind the music that you love. And yeah, we're keeping it a hunted discussing Everything from comebacks and concepts to the mental health side of the business. Because K Pop isn't just a genre. It's a whole world and we're exploring every corner of it. And here's the best part. Fans get to call in, drop opinions, and even join us live at events. You never know where we might pop up next. So listen to the K factor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you go, your podcast. This isn't just a podcast. It's a movement.
- [49:03]
Sam Mitchell
Are you ready?
- [49:03]
Bom Han
Let's go. Let's go.
- [49:12]
Daniel Jeremiah
The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.
- [49:19]
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
- [49:22]
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach coach the draft.
- [49:25]
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made.
- [49:34]
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [49:44]
Stephen A. Smith
Welcome back to Steven Show.
- [49:45]
Let's get into some quick hitters before I get on out of here for the day. Let's get started. With the NFL draft going down this week, by all accounts, Miami quarterback Cam Ward is expected to be the number one overall pick. Shador Sanders was considered the next best quarterback in the draft, but his status seemed to change since the combine and Colorado's pro day. I don't like this at all. I think it's bs. I understand these kind of things happen, but to me, the downfall or the diminished status of his cachet, his value hit when he went to see the New York jets and, and, and then you heard something along the lines of, you know, arrogance. I don't want to say the jets, but it could have been the Jets. It could have been a couple of other teams as well. But you heard something about arrogance. You heard something about him being overly confident or whatever. I'm like, you're a quarterback in the National Football League or entering a National Football League. What are you supposed to feel? What are you supposed to feel? And it was just seemed to me like it's just been an excuse to devalue this kid. Does he have the arm strength or the. Or the wheels that Cam Ward has? No, but the brother can ball. Brother, dude, damn near 40 touchdowns. Brother has poison a pocket. He can make the requisite throws and he's the Son of prime time. Deion said this. I said it before, I'm going to say it again. I think the number one thing Shador Sanders has going up against him is that people know to deal with him, you're going to have to deal with his father, because his father is one of the greatest athletes this world has ever seen, an incredible football mind who knows the game better than most, and he's not going to let you take advantage of his son. And so I think the fear of dealing with Deion Sanders has impacted to some degree the rhetoric that you see being spewed by teams anonymously about his son Shador. That's what I believe. Now that doesn't mean he's not going to get picked up at 6 by the Raiders or 9 by the Saints or if he falls to 21, I, I know damn well Steelers better grab them, make no mistake. Because God knows, I don't know if there's anybody that needs a quarterback on their squad more so than the Pittsburgh Steelers at this particular moment in time. You got DK Metcalf, you got George Pickens, you got Frymouth at your tight end spot. You got an improved offensive line. You still got Warren at the running back spot, even though Najee Harris is a part of the Chargers. I mean, with the cats that they got available to them, all you need is a damn quarterback. They damn well better make sure they draft one, make no mistake. But I just think that if Shador Sanders wasn't Deion Sanders, son, I don't think we'd be hearing all of of this. I really, really don't. That's just my position. But I hope he gets drafted. He better get drafted in the first round. And I don't want to hear about Dart or anybody else that's going to go before him. I don't want to hear that. That's where I'm at with it. Finally. Did y'all see the end of WrestleMania 41 last night?
- [52:27]
It was history in the making, y'all. That's because John Cena broke the record for all time world championship victories in.
- [52:34]
Professional wrestling last night when he defeated.
- [52:36]
Cody Rhodes to win the undisputed WWE Championship.
- [52:40]
The previous record was held by the nature boy, Ric Flair.
- [52:44]
You know, all I want to say.
- [52:46]
Is this, congratulations to John Cena. I'm a fan of the Rock. I love me the Rock, definitely. So we've had a lot of great rest of our history. Listen, I go back to the days where Ric Flair was in the nwa. I go back to the days where you had guys like Magnum TA, The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes, you know, the. The Road warriors tag team. My all time favorite tag team. All of these brothers. I mean, I loved it. I mean, can't get enough of it. I used to love that. I know Hulk Hogan before you became Hollywood Hogan, which was kind of cool and stuff like that. The Andre the Giants. Listen, ladies and gentlemen, Jimmy Superfly Snooker. I'm talking about Randy Macho Man Savage, the Ultimate Warrior, you know, I mean, listen, all of these cats, okay? Undertaker and everybody that y'all look at, I get that. My all time favorite. I mean, I love the Rock and his entries, his entrance into the ring and stuff like that. I love that. I love me some Dwayne Rock Johnson, no doubt. And I love him even better as a Hollywood actor. The brother special. I'm a fan of his, okay? And I respect the hell out of him. I always loved Goldberg. Goldberg is his and his entrance. Because see the inch. There's two things that I love most from wrestlers, okay? I love the entrance into the ring and I love this talking. And nobody was better talking than Ric Flair, you understand?
- [54:20]
You talking to the Rolex wearing, diamond ring wearing.
- [54:27]
I ain't gonna go there.
- [54:28]
Sam Mitchell
Woo.
- [54:29]
Stephen A. Smith
Willa Dillon, limousine riding, jet flying, son of a gun.
- [54:32]
And I'm having a hard time holding these alligators down.
- [54:35]
Ric Flair. There's only one Hulk Hogan's cool. I am a real American. I used to love that stuff. But Goldberg and his entrance off the chain, used to love him. That's just me. That's just me. Now let me get to y'all tweets before I get on out of here. Please give it to me. At the sports brawls, right? Stephen A. Smith, who is the biggest what if in NBA history At each position. I don't know if I can say at each position. I'll try though. Let me just give you my biggest what ifs. What if Derrick Rose were healthy? What if Derrick Rhodes was healthy?
- [55:19]
Sam Mitchell
He.
- [55:21]
Stephen A. Smith
Vince Carter was great. The greatest in dunk in game dunk of all time. But what if he was a killer like Kobe? What about that? What if. What if Allen Iverson had was 6665 instead of 61 instead of 611 60. What if Allen Iverson was 6566202 10. Lord have mercy. What if Greg Odin had never gotten hurt? How about Brandon Roy? One of my producers just reminded me of that. What about Brandon Roy? I'm just saying it's worth mentioning. I really do think that's the case. So those are just a few names that I'm throwing out there. There's a few names. You want me to tell you what another what if is? Y'all go get on me for hating. I'm not hating. We just talking basketball. I'm answering your question. What if LeBron James had never gone to Miami? What if LeBron James had never gone to Miami and paired with D. Wade and Chris Bosh, would he had ever won a championship? Barkley was great. Didn't win one. Nobody, none of them was. Nobody that I mentioned is going to be as great as LeBron James. Number two all time, Patrick Ewan, Charles Barkley, Carl Malone, Sean Kemp, Clyde Drexler's of the World, Phoenix with Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Dan Marley's of the world. A lot of what ifs. That's just where I'm coming from. Next question. Next tweet, rather. What you got? This is from Minecraft. At Highlight King, Stephen A. Smith, choose your opponent. Creeper Chicken Jockey Enderman. I'm gonna go with Chicken Jockey. I think I could knock the top off of them easily, could chop them down to size. I'm gonna go with Chicken Jockey on this one. I have no idea why because I know what. No, no. I don't know what any of them could do, but I'm just gonna take a guess and go with Chicken Jockey. All right. Do I have any more tweets? Do I have one more? Yes, I do.
- [58:03]
Tranquilize.
- [58:04]
Enzo, right? Stephen H. Smith, if you get nominated and eventually elected for president, who's the first person you would pardon? I'm the wrong person to ask that question. I don't know if I would pardon anybody. I'm a law and order kind of dude. I mean, I gotta think about it. I don't see anybody in jail that I wish were out. It damn sure would it be the Menendez brothers. I tell you that much. I'm not knocking. They have spent been years in jail the last 35 years. But hell, they did kill their parents, you know. But then again, I don't know all the details, so maybe I shouldn't say that. I don't know who I will pardon.
- [58:45]
I don't know who's who.
- [58:47]
Who's, you know, it's any political prisoners. I forgot the guy's name in Pennsylvania. I forgot him. I'm sorry. I really am. For somebody along those lines. Political prisoners year. That's how I look at it. And by the way, I don't think I'll be wearing a red tie. I'm not saying it would be blue either. Probably a mixture of both because I'm an independent. That's just me. But my suits would be fly. They would be mostly blue and black and they would be pretty damn fly. I will tell you that instead of some of these corny suits these cats be wearing, sometimes that's just me. Let's get to the last one, please. Last tweet for the day. What is it at 5x drippy, right? Stephen A. Smith. If Steph wins ring number five with a, I guess Finals mvp fmvp. I guess that's what that means. Does. Does that make him better than Michael Jordan? No, it does not. Steph Curry is already the greatest shooter God has ever created. You can make a legitimate argument that even though Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard who ever lived because he personified what a point guard is supposed to be in terms of quintessentially getting people involved and facilitating opportunities for others. When you think about impact from the guard position, when you look at Steph Curry and how you got to keep your head on the swivel because this brother could pull up from 50, I get that part. But the flip side to it is that he had just won his his only Finals MVP in 2022 when they beat the Boston Celtics. Michael Jordan has six of those. Also, Michael Jordan is a 30 point per game scorer during the playoffs. Steph Curry didn't pull that off. Also, Michael Jordan was a nine time all NBA defensive team player as well and would just take your heart right out your chest. No, I would not put Steph Curry above Jordan, but I do think if he WINS Ring number five, it's time to stop calling this the LeBron era. Era. We gotta call it the Steph era. If Steph ends up with a ring, one more ring than him, but only if that happened, which I don't think it will. I think they'll both be stuck on four once these playoffs are done. That's it for this edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves. I know I did. Until next time, everybody. I'm signing off. Peace and love. See you soon.
- [61:14]
Daniel Jeremiah
The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel, Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.
- [61:22]
Greg Rosenthal
We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.
- [61:25]
Daniel Jeremiah
And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.
- [61:28]
Greg Rosenthal
So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.
- [61:37]
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.