Full Show: Will Smith returns as Grammy presenter. Can Diddy get a fair trial? Trump playing politics with DEI claim.

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show - Episode Summary

Release Date: February 1, 2025
Episode Title: Full Show: Will Smith returns as Grammy presenter. Can Diddy get a fair trial? Trump playing politics with DEI claim.

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1. Tragic Plane Crash and Trump's DEI Comments

Timestamp: [01:02] - [09:28]

Stephen A. Smith opens the show addressing a tragic plane collision over the Potomac River, which resulted in the deaths of 67 individuals, including Russian Olympic figure skaters and youth skaters with their parents. The cause remains under investigation, though preliminary reports from the FAA suggest abnormal air traffic control staffing during the incident.

President Donald Trump made headlines by suggesting that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs might have contributed to the tragedy. Stephen plays a segment featuring Senator Chuck Schumer's reaction:

Quote:
Nate Thompson [05:40]: "I just watched President Trump's news conference... It just turns your stomach."

Stephen criticizes Trump’s remarks, arguing that attributing the crash to DEI is irresponsible and manipulative. He emphasizes that DEI initiatives originated as a response to the George Floyd incident, aiming to rectify systemic injustices. However, according to Stephen, the Trump administration is now scaling back these efforts under the guise of normalcy and fiscal responsibility.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [07:11]: "Let's understand what we're talking about. And what we're listening to when we hear him spew this Diversity, equity, and inclusion."

He further contends that Trump's rhetoric is a veiled attempt to promote white dominance by undermining DEI efforts, thereby alienating minority communities and jeopardizing societal peace.

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2. Diddy’s Legal Battle and Docu-Series

Timestamp: [35:24] - [45:20]

Stephen delves into the latest developments surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, highlighting a new superseding indictment in his sex trafficking case, which extends the alleged racketeering conspiracy over two decades. Diddy's attorneys argue that the indictment doesn't introduce new charges but expands on existing ones with flawed theories.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [35:40]: "The prosecution's theory remains flawed. The government has added the ridiculous theory that two of Mr. Combs former girlfriends were not girlfriends at all, but were prostitutes."

Additionally, Stephen reviews Investigation Discovery’s docu-series, "The Fall of Diddy," which scrutinizes Diddy's career and personal life, including allegations of rape, sex trafficking, and prostitution. He voices strong concerns about the fairness of airing such content before the trial, suggesting it prejudices potential jurors and undermines the presumption of innocence.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [42:10]: "There is no defense of the video that you saw with Diddy hitting and kicking and throwing stuff at Cassie Ventura. There is no defense for it."

Stephen argues that the docu-series presents a biased portrayal that could severely impact Diddy's ability to receive a fair trial, emphasizing the importance of separating public perception from legal proceedings.

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3. Will Smith’s Return as Grammy Presenter

Timestamp: [35:08] - [44:02]

The discussion shifts to Will Smith's upcoming role as a presenter at the Grammy Awards, marking his return to a major award stage since the infamous Oscars incident with Chris Rock in 2022. Stephen acknowledges his previous criticism of Smith but also expresses gratitude towards individuals who support Smith's redemption and career.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [38:35]: "But Will Smith is a fantastic artist who's done so much for so many people in this world... to move on and wish him nothing but the best to him and his family."

He praises Charlie Mack, Antoine Fuqua, and Will Packer for advocating forgiveness and helping Smith recover his reputation, asserting that everyone deserves a second chance despite past mistakes.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [44:02]: "He made a mistake and all of us should move on. Especially since Chris Rock has moved on and we should just march ahead and wish him nothing but the best to him and his family."

Stephen underscores the importance of not defining individuals solely by their worst moments, promoting a message of redemption and growth.

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4. NBA Insights: Adam Silver’s Shortened Game Proposal and All-Star Snubs

Timestamp: [63:01] - [74:10]

Stephen critiques NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's proposal to reduce game time from 48 to 40 minutes, arguing that it won’t effectively address issues like load management and may lead to a decline in player effort.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [63:20]: "The Commissioner, somebody sent me a text yesterday... We have to go to the bank to get the money. So, okay, that's what we got to do."

He reminisces about the late Commissioner David Stern's authoritative approach, contrasting it with Silver's player-friendly demeanor, suggesting that stricter measures are necessary to maintain the league's integrity.

All-Star Snubs:

Stephen highlights notable NBA players overlooked for the All-Star selections, including LaMelo Ball, Kyrie Irving, and Norman Powell, questioning the selection process and advocating for recognition based on performance rather than popularity or team success.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [60:20]: "I just think they're experience away. I love what I'm seeing in Houston... Houston is gonna make some noise."

He also touches on the challenges facing up-and-coming players like Bronny James, emphasizing the need for adequate preparation before entering the NBA to ensure both personal success and team cohesion.

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5. Dwyane Wade’s Health Update

Timestamp: [61:58] - [73:14]

Stephen shares a heartfelt update on Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade, who underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his kidney in 2023. Wade communicated gratitude for the medical intervention that saved his life, and Stephen expresses relief and well-wishes.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [62:41]: "I know he's a great guy. He was out of the country a couple of days ago. He and I spoke."

He lauds Wade for his resilience and character, reinforcing Wade’s status as a beloved figure in the sports community.

---

6. Listener Tweets and Stephen’s Responses

Timestamp: [70:54] - [73:50]

Stephen interacts with listeners' tweets, addressing humorous and personal queries. He emphasizes his authenticity and unwillingness to conform to partial portrayals, blending humor with personal anecdotes.

Quotes:

1. Stephen A. Smith [72:12]: "What do y'all think sending your responses? I swear to you, no question has ever stuck me like that before."

2. Stephen A. Smith [73:07]: "Don't just sit up there and say, my first wedding and just leave it at that. You're telling her you're planning on getting divorced at some time down the line and somebody else gonna replace her. That's not smart."

He also shares his perspective on stepping into unexpected roles, such as a quarterback during a football crisis, showcasing his blend of humor and candidness.

---

7. Super Bowl Preparations and Final Thoughts

Timestamp: [74:10] - [75:08]

As the show wraps up, Stephen announces the upcoming Super Bowl coverage from New Orleans, inviting listeners to participate in polls and engage with the show’s social media. He reiterates his commitment to providing insightful and unfiltered commentary, promising a week full of expert opinions and guest appearances.

Quote:
Stephen A. Smith [74:37]: "Don't miss the Stephen A. Smith show next week from New Orleans, where we'll be broadcasting all week ahead of the Super Bowl."

---

Key Takeaways:

• Trump’s DEI Rhetoric: Stephen criticizes President Trump for blaming DEI programs for a tragic plane crash, viewing it as a tactic to undermine diversity initiatives and promote white dominance.

• Diddy’s Legal Challenges: The airing of a docu-series on Diddy before his trial is seen as prejudicial, potentially hindering his right to a fair trial.

• Redemption of Will Smith: While acknowledging past controversies, Stephen supports Will Smith’s return to major award stages, emphasizing forgiveness and the importance of not defining individuals by their mistakes.

• NBA Controversies: Discussions revolve around the effectiveness of Adam Silver’s proposed game time reduction and the apparent biases in All-Star selections, advocating for merit-based recognition.

• Health and Humanity: Updates on Dwyane Wade’s health underscore the show’s blend of sports commentary with personal and human interest stories.

• Authentic Engagement: Through listener interactions, Stephen maintains an authentic and humorous connection with his audience, reinforcing his reputation as a straightforward and candid commentator.

This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show offers a blend of critical political analysis, in-depth sports commentary, and personal reflections, all delivered with Stephen’s signature vigor and authenticity.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julie Swearbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swearbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swearbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julia's pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swearbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Donald Trump, P. Diddy, Will Smith.

The list goes on and on. What the hell is the day show going to be about? You're about to find out. It's right here in the Stephen A. Smith Show. Holl at your bo. What's up everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith show, coming at you over the digital airwaves of YouTube and iHeartRadio. As always, I'd like to take a moment to thank my subscribers and followers. We've now eclipsed 1.07 million subscribers. Can't thank y'all for the love and support. Enough there. Not just to mention, not to mention also iheartradio that's had millions of downloads over the last few months. Keep helping the show. Can't thank y'all enough for the love and support. Keep it coming. I'm gonna keep on coming to continue to like and follow the show. Just click the button and you'll be notified for all of our newest content on the Stephen A. Smith show. And YouTube will be the newest member of the family. And don't forget to pick up a copy of my New York Times best selling book, Straight Shooter, A memoir of second Chances and first takes now in paperback. Just go to straightshooterbook.com to get yourself a [e-mail] to get Yourself a copy. P. Diddy, There's a DOCU series out. I gotta talk about it. I gotta talk about it. You'll be surprised at what I have to say about it, considering the salacious details that have been alleged in the docu series. I'll definitely talk about that. Will Smith is making an appearance. I'll be talking about that. Some NBA and NFL action. I'll touch on that as well. But the first order of business is to get into Trump. And I'm not gonna even call it politics. I'm gonna call it social commentary, because that's what I feel it is. And that's where I need to get started. First, the news. The tragic news out of Washington, D.C. wednesday night. The plane crash between an American Airlines commuter jet and a Black hawk helicopter. All 67 people aboard the American Eagle flight and army helicopter were killed when the aircraft collided over the Potomac River. Victims on the American Airlines flight included Russian Olympic figure skaters, youth skaters and their parents, just to name a few. The cause of the collision is unclear and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. However, a preliminary report by the faa. By the faa indicated that air traffic control staffing was, quote, not normal, end quote, at the time of the crash. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump spoke to reporters and implied that diversity, equity and inclusion programs, dei, may have been the cause of the tragedy. Here's what President Trump said before reporters at the White House yesterday.

[Donald Trump]

So, as you know, last week, long before the crash, I signed an executive order restoring our higher standards for air traffic controllers and other important jobs throughout the country. So it was very interesting. About a week ago, almost upon entering office, I signed something last week that was an executive order, very powerful on restoring the highest standards of air traffic controllers and others, by the way, then my administration will set the highest possible bar for aviation safety. We have to have our smartest people. It doesn't matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. It matters. Intellect, talent, the word talent. They have to be talented, naturally talented, geniuses. You can't have regular people doing that job. They won't be able to do it. But we'll restore faith in American air travel. I'll have more to say about that. I do want to point out that various articles that appeared prior to my entering office, and here's one. The FAA's diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. That is amazing. And then it says, FAA says people with severe disabilities are most underrepresented segment of the workforce. And they want them in and they want them. They can be air traffic controllers. I don't think so. This was in January 14th. So that was a week before I entered office. They put a big push to put diversity into the FAA's program.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Now, before I get to my comments, because I got a lot to say about that. We just saw. I want to play some sound from New York Senator Chuck Schumer reacting to Trump's comments. Take a listen.

[Nate Thompson]

I just watched President Trump's news conference. Listen. It's one thing for Internet pundits to spew off conspiracy theories. It's another for the President of the United States to throw out idle speculation as bodies are still being recovered and families still being notified. It just turns your stomach.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Amen. Amen. And let me stay. For the record, I'm not one that usually agrees with Chuck Schumer. I don't like a lot of things he says it does, personally, because I think a lot of it is pomp and circumstance and not much to do about anything half the time. I know how knowledgeable and formidable he is and has been in the United States Senate. But nevertheless, there are things that I disagree with him about. This is not one of them. To say that President Trump was utterly irresponsible in the rhetoric that he spewed is an understatement. You don't know if DEI had anything to do with it. He admitted he didn't know what the hell you say it for.

Why'd you open your mouth? Why would you do that? Because, you see, the more he opens his mouth about stuff like that and the quickness with which he's willing to throw in dei, it's crystallizing what ultimately your agenda in terms of your administration is really, really all about.

If you're going to go that direction.

And let's understand what we're talking about.

And what we're listening to when we hear him spew this Diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Regardless of the fact that when you talk about diversity, usually women, primarily white.

Women, benefit from such things. Just as they had benefited from affirmative action because they were labeled a minority.

We're never including them when we're talking about this stuff. When you say diversity, equity, and inclusion, when you say dei, you know what that means to people outside of the minority communities.

Unqualified minorities.

It's automatically assumed that that's who you're talking about. And nobody wants to take into account, as I reiterated and regurgitated just the other day, how did it come about?

How was affirmative action?

How did affirmative action ever come about? How did stuff like the Rooney Rule ever come about? How did DEI Come about. DEI came about in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder by a police officer.

In Minnesota, Derek Chauvin, who kept his.

Foot on Floyd, George Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes and 20 seconds. And the other cops right near him did nothing as this young, as this man was calling for his mama and.

Losing his breath of life.

And an uproar ensued, and protest ensued and riots ensued, and white America couldn't deny how heinous that act was. So they stood up and they raised their hands and they said, we're listening. We want to hear you. And what they did is they engaged in overkill. Let's admit it. Let's call it what it is. We're talking business now.

Overkill ensued.

And what happened is you saw corporate America and beyond trying to make amends for its negligence, for its unfair. Its unfairness, the inequities that it had exercised. And they said, we want to make up for it. So they went into overload, and they poured money and resources into certain things, in some cases, dei. And what you're seeing now is the scaling back of that because the momentum.

Has died down, and you no longer.

Have to prioritize things the way that you once did.

You feel me, Aaron? You feel me, Mike?

You hear what I'm saying? And as a result, now you're saying, let's get back to normalcy per se. Let's not engage in overkill. Let's not be a bit too excessive. Let's not just throw money against the wall. Money, by the way, most folks don't have. And now you're seeing the scaling back of it. And in my opinion, and it's just an opinion, there's a justification on the part of the Trump administration to hide behind DEI to justify cuts that, you know, inevitably have to come in order for you to shave some of the overhead that you have to have because of the national debt and beyond. With $36 trillion in debt, you really, really think that immigration is just about people feeling safe in the streets. We've had immigrants in our country forever. Immigrants helped build this country. That's why, for the most part, we've been proponents of folks coming across our borders. We just didn't want flagrantly open borders like President Joe Biden authenticated or okayed. But we always had immigrants coming to this country, and we've always benefited from their participation in this country, in building this nation. So this is not new. What happens is you have an inordinate amount of bodies, and because you have that inordinate amount of bodies. You're saying, okay, that has to stop because it's costing the taxpayer billions of dollars. It's very simple when you look at it.

How it's handled is where the crime kicks in. Because when you handle it the way that the Trump administration is handling it.

We want the most qualified, we want.

The smartest, we want this, we want that. What you're really saying is we want white dominance. Again, that's what you're really saying. You want white dominance.

Because if you're pointing the dei, and that's usually pointed towards, quote, unquote, unqualified minorities, because you're always using the word qualified. Qualified, qualified, as if everybody. They got a position through DEI is not qualified. We know what you're implying. We know what you're insinuating. And you got folks in the administration and Pete Heg says, oh, my God, the nerve of him to just join into the freight and give his quote about making sure qualified people have these jobs. Jobs. You're the Defense Secretary whose only job prior to this was as a weekend host on Fox News.

I didn't bring up personal allegations against Pete Hegseth. What I said was not being qualified for defense secretary. All of a sudden going from a weekend host on. On cable television to overseeing a department.

With over three and a half million people. That's what I'm saying. Not an accident.

The nerve.

The nerve. Hell, was Trump qualified to be president? If we want to get. If we want to get down to the bare bones of it, I'm talking about first go round was he wasn't Hillary Moore qualified? Disqualifications. I'm not talking about who you prefer, who you voted for. I'm just talking qualifications. Was not Hillary more qualified, but you decided to go that route anyway? Right? But here we are talking qualifications, and I'm all for qualifications and having the best and the brightest, especially when it comes to public safety. No doubt about that. But what you had to bring up DEI for, every white person was qualified. Every white person that got that job deserved that job. Every white person that wasn't hired through DEI was exceptional. And the best and the brightest. You ain't got any black people, any Hispanic people that you want to sprinkle into the mix. Could you do that? Could you do that?

No, you cannot. And I know why. But I'll get to that in a second, right after we hear from our sponsors. All right, folks, I need you to stop what you're doing and listen up. You know, I love this time of year. The teams have been decided for the big game February 9th.

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Prospects.

Hey, run your game. Now let's look at my picks for today for the big game, the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

First up, we've got the Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. More or less than 116 and a half rushing yards.

How can I go with less? I have to go with more. It's Saquon Barkley, Mr. 2005 Rushing Yards. The brothers just running roughshod over everybody in the playoffs opens the NFC championship game on the first play from scrimmage for the Philadelphia Eagles with a 60 yard touchdown run. This brother is special and he's on a mission, as his teammate said, to.

Get the big finger to his former.

Team, the New York Giants, who are not.

Who will not only let him go.

But was so dismissive in doing so.

The brothers gonna show out.

I think it's. It's almost damn sacrilegious to think that he's gonna run for less than 160 and a half yards. So I'm gonna go with more. Next up, we've got Eagles wide receiver Devonte Smith. More or less than 51 and a half receiving yards. I'm going with less on this. Here's my deal. I think A.J. brown's gonna be good. I think Dallas God is going to be good. I think they're going to utilize Saquon Barkley catching passes out of the backfield. One person might suffer and that's devonte Smith. That's just a guess. Somebody's going to step up for them. Somebody's not going to be able to. I think that's what we're looking at here. Okay, that's where I'm at with it. Next up we have Kansas City's wide receiver, Xavier Worthy. More or less than 56 and a half receiving yards. I'm going with more on this because this brother can break away one play for that and I think he's gonna have a couple of plays in this game where he'll do something. So I definitely think he's gonna have more than that. Let's last but not least, we've got Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt. More or less than 46 and a half rushing yards. I'm going with less on this. You have to throw the football against the Philadelphia Eagles to beat them. I don't think you're running on them. It's my simple explanation. Sometimes simple is more prize Fix gets that, why don't you? This message is being brought to you by Cologuard, a non invasive COLA cancer screening test. Listen guys, we need to talk about colon cancer screening for a second. And you know I'm a straight shooter, so I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Colon cancer is considered the most preventable yet least prevented cancer. It's the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States and it's on a rise in people under 50. But the good news is that when caught at early stages, colon cancer is survivable in 90% of people. So screening and early detection are key to reducing overall colon cancer deaths. And I'm sure a lot of you guys are hearing this and thinking you can tune me out because you're not in your 50s yet. But guess what? The American Cancer Society recommends that if you are at average risk, you begin screening for colon cancer at age 45. And a great way to do that is with the Cologuard test. It's delivered right to your door and it allows you to collect a sample comfortably at home on your own schedule. We're talking about a screening with zero downtime that's both convenient and affordable. Most Insured patients pay $0.

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[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting Black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall. Hi, I'm Tia Sircar.

[Greg Rosenthal]

I'm Taylor Gray.

[Jon Lee Brody]

And I'm Jon Lee Brody.

[Vanessa Marshall]

But you may also know us as Harrison Dula, Spectre 2, Sabine Wren, Specter.

[Greg Rosenthal]

5 and Ezra Bridger, Specter 6 from Star Wars Rebels.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Wait, I wasn't on Star Wars Rebels. Am I in the right place?

[Vanessa Marshall]

Absolutely. Each week we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Share some fun behind the scenes stories.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve bloom voices Zabarelio's Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco voices Jaquel and many others.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Sometimes we'll even have a lively debate.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And we'll have plenty of other fun surprises and trivia too.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Oh, and me. Well, I'm the lucky ghost crew Stowaway who gets to help moderate and guide the discussion each week. Kind of like how Kanan guided Ezra in the ways of the Force. You see what I did there?

[Vanessa Marshall]

Nicely done, John.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Thanks, Tia.

[Vanessa Marshall]

So hang on because it's gonna be a fun ride.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Cue the music.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Disease and certain Hereditary syndromes or personal or family history of colorectal cancer. The cologuard test is not a replacement for colonoscopies in high risk patients. Cologuard test performance in adults ages 45 to 49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. False positives and false negatives can occur. Cologuard is available by prescription only. Trump is catering to his base. See, there's a difference between the MAGA right and the rest of the people who voted for Trump. And where Trump has an opportunity to really cement a legacy and to push the Republican Party forward in a positive direction is if he remembers how he got elected. MAGA right is MAGA right. They gonna vote for him regardless. But it was those swing voters that couldn't convince themselves to cast at the ballot for Kamala Harris that ultimately won him the election. And what has he done since? Giving executive orders all over the place.

Just today he sat up there and.

Talked about tariffs are coming the way of Mexico and Canada this weekend.

We know what other executive orders he's given as it pertains to being identified as a man or a woman and no in between. And all of this stuff. And I'm not saying I got a problem with some of the stuff he's did, some I did, some I didn't. I ain't got time to get into all of that today. What I'm saying is we got to know what he's doing. 57% of the American population, a minimum, is white.

He's making sure he caters to them.

Because somehow some way, like Chris Rock.

Pointed out in his standup comedic routine on Netflix, he said white folks were.

Trying to overthrow a government that they run. That's what he said.

But if you Trump, here's the warning I'm reading from an article by Jason Riley, Jason L. Riley in the Wall Street Journal. I want to read a couple of paragraphs that he wrote in this article because I want you to understand what he's saying. When I brought up the part about Kamala Harris, the difference between MAGA right and swing voters, here's what Jason Riley said. The distinction matters. Trump loyalists don't care if the president pardons January six protesters who assaulted police officers after he condemned George Floyd protesters who assaulted police officers. It doesn't care that it doesn't concern them that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The president's nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services, declared as recently as 2023 that, quote, there's no vaccine that's safe and effective end Quote, they're not bothered that he yanked security protection for former key advisors involved in planning the lethal drone strike on Iran's leading terrorists, Kassim Solomon Soleimani or Soleimani, not because it's no longer needed, but because he simply doesn't like them anymore. Mr. Trump can't be confident that all his supporters will ignore such rank hypocrisy, foolishness, and petty behavior. Quote, the threat to anyone involved in President Trump's strike on Soleimani is persistent. It's real. Senator Tom Cotton, Republican out of Arkansas, said chairman of the Intelligence Committee and a strong Trump ally. That's what he said on Fox News Sunday last weekend. Moreover, it's not just about these men who helped President Trump carry out his policy in the first term. It's about their family and friends, innocent bystanders, every time they're in public. It's also about the president being able to get good people and get good advice. He ain't listening. He appears back to his old ways. What has he learned? And so now, if you're the Democratic Party, why am I bringing this up? Because you have a perfect opportunity suddenly. It's not about woke culture, it's not about cancel culture, it's not about proper pronouns. And all of this. Now we getting into the hearts of the real issues.

My man Roland Martin was on his show just the other day talking about.

Civil rights legislation in 1964 and how.

You'Ve got folks within the Trump administration trying to roll that back 60 years of progress. That's what you have minorities in this country fearing right now that that was the agenda all along. And they're pointing to these things and it's making. And it should make the Democratic Party stand up and say, wait a minute now.

Now, these are issues you can fight.

For because these are issues that the.

American people can get behind.

And what you have to do if you're the Democratic Party, is be centered.

Thinking, as in center left. Prioritize the economy, prioritize national security, prioritize foreign relations, and forget all that other stuff. We got battles in this country that we have to fight. Why am I giving this advice?

Because some of y'all have walked around trying to castigate people like me. Now I'm gonna remind you of who the hell I am, okay? I am a registered independent. Put that damn thing up on that screen.

Griff, for me, please.

Reminding these people who the hell I am. Republican, Democrat, I don't like none of your asses.

I'm talking about as a party, not as Individuals. I don't like every one of y'all. This two party binary system sucks. It has contaminated our society in the United States of America.

It has gotten our eyes off the ball.

You know why?

Because you have to agree with everything. Think about that for a second. Whatever workplace you are, whatever family you have, whatever boys or ladies you hang out with, each other, y'all agree on everything. Everything. 100% aligned. And you're thinking about everything. Of course you're not. But our system of government will have you thinking.

You have to be. All the Republicans vote with one another.

All the Democrats vote with one another. Nobody has to do any freaking work. You don't even have to read the policies. All you have to do is ask your sister, how did the Republicans vote?

Vote the opposite.

How did the Democrats vote? Vote the opposite. That's all you have to do. That's why you got folks in the 80s still in office. And I'm not engaging in ageism here. I'm just speaking real. The hell you doing on Capitol Hill? You really think I believe you reading four or five hundred pages of legislation? You think I believe you putting in that work? But you vote anyway because you don't have to do any work. All you have to do is take the side that you're on and vote against the other side. That ain't serving our country. That's why the country pissed off. That's why they put somebody like Trump in office. Because they sick and tired of the cesspool that is our nation's capital. And if you're the Democrats, you've got an opportunity to say that although Trump is different and he's apolitical, the dominance with which he's governing over his first two weeks on the job is antithetical and very detrimental to us as a nation. You can say that and as a result return to some level of normalcy. But what is that? You're the Democratic Party. Where's your voice? Who's your voice? Me calling you out about it has you thinking or has you acting like I'm the enemy. I'm trying to help. I don't want to see you get your ass kicked in another election. I don't want to see you lose in the midterms. I don't want to see you lose four years from now in advance with JD Vance or Marco Rubio or somebody being the next President of the United States just because they're opposite you. I want the best candidate for the country to win. That cannot happen. That can't happen if you have no.

Voice and you have no face for your party. I doubt I'll ever run. It's not me. I live a pretty good life, and I don't want to ruin it by getting involved in politics. But I gotta tell y'all something. The Democratic Party looks so pathetic after this election. I might entertain running.

I. I just might change my mind one day. I don't. I doubt it, but I might. Because how much would it take to beat y'all?

And Trump can't run again.

He's done. Regardless of what. Some representatives want a third term for him, kissing his ass at every turn. Will you do your job? Please do your job. He been back in office for two weeks, and you got one representative caller for him to get a third term, and you got another representative talking about him being put on Mount Rushmore. Will you do your job? Is that too hard? Just do your job. Look at our country. Look at the state it's in. Understand what policies may work and what might not work. What's to the best interest or what's to the detriment of the country, and make that damn decision. Is it really that hard? Do you have to get on your knees and kiss his ass at every turn? Did you see the crash after it happened and Trump handed it over to one of the aviation executives? I forget his name or his title for the moment. Don't matter. Every other word he was saying, I want to thank Donald Trump. I want to thank Donald Trump. I want to thank Donald Trump. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your shut the hell up and do your job. How much ass kissing must y'all do before your breath starts smelling like shit? I mean, come on. It's ridiculous. Just do your job. Do your job.

If you Trump, that means you, too. Swing voters got you elected, my man, and they got you elected because they couldn't vote for Kamala Harris. But you promised them to address inflation. You promised them to address our borders. You promised them to address national security. You promised a thriving economy. You promised peace in the streets. If your actions are to lean on dei, every chance you get to point out some supposed discrepancy between white individuals.

And minorities who got jobs as it.

Pertains to their qualifications and their intellect.

And their resume and their accomplishments.

You don't think that's going to compromise peace? You don't think that's going to create chaos? Be careful, Mr. Trump. Be careful. President Trump, be careful. Society is only as strong as its weakest links. You alienate folks. There's a price that's going to be paid for that. And it's going to be the compromising and the eradication of peace and tranquility. Enough people from all different facets of this country voted for you because they believed that you were going to do a better job at galvanizing our nation than the left ever could. You owe it to all of us to do that. Not to alienate us, because you're trying to roll back stuff from 60 civil rights legislation from 60 years that was black folks, that was minority folks, access to capital. That is what civil rights legislation did for us, amongst many other things.

To attack that in any way is sacrilegious.

And if you're the left, you remember what the hell I said and you pounce like on it like a bunch of piranhas. Hispanics and minorities in this country make up more than 17, 18% of the population. Black folks make up 13 to 14% of the population. And the Hispanic populace is growing. If you lost them, get them back. Know what? Cubans, Dominicans, Venezuelans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans.

And blacks know what they mean in this country and what they bring to this country and remind folks of that instead of getting caught up in your frivolous stuff on the extreme left that compromised your power on the nation, in the nation's capital. Get it together. I'm sick and tired of people listening to me and talking to me.

And by the way, that includes people that work for me. So I'm sick and tired of everybody acting like I'm somebody that's some right winger. I have conservative views, I have liberal views. Trust me, I have plenty of liberal views. But that don't mean I ain't gonna call it like I see it. I've been doing that for my entire career and damn it, I ain't stopping. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm in the best health I've been in in 25 years. If you thought I wasn't going away before, you have no idea how the hell I'm not going away now. I'm just getting started. Mr. Trump. President Trump. I'm sorry, I don't like what I'm seeing in some cases, bro. I don't like what I'm seeing. Democrats pounce on them. If you don't, I'll find somebody who will or I'll do it my damn self. Imma give President Trump all the credit in the world when he deserves it and I'm going to call him out when he deserves it too. That's how it's going down on this show. Get used to it. Cause I'm coming. Coming up, Adam Silva talks about a shorter NBA game.

And LaMelo Ball gets snubbed from the All Star game. I'll get into that just ahead. But first, Sean Diddy Combs is hit with a new indictment in his sex trafficking case.

Plus, there's some stuff going on with some docu series about him, too. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. We gotta talk about that next. Right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show. Back with more in a minute.

All right, everybody, listen up. With all the big time sports action.

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Prospects, run your game. I'm looking forward to it. I know you are. Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, Louisiana, baby. The Philadelphia Eagles vs. The Kansas City Chiefs hurts. Saquon vs. Mahomes. Kelsey and the crew.

I'm looking forward to it for several reasons. Number one, I expect it to be a good game. Number two, guess what? I love New Orleans sometimes. Anyway, the food is great.

Number three, I get to be away.

From my damn nephew.

Josh.

He's trying to come down there. I'm not letting him. This little knucklehead right here, this is. This is Josh Jr. My little nephew Jace. He can't come to the Super Bowl. He's gonna be.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car, and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall. Hi, I'm Tia Sircar.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm.

[Greg Rosenthal]

I'm Taylor Gray.

[Jon Lee Brody]

And I'm John Lee Brody.

[Vanessa Marshall]

But you may also know us as Harrison Doula, Specter 2, Sabine Wren, Specter.

[Greg Rosenthal]

5, and Ezra Bridger, Specter 6 from Star Wars Rebels.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Wait, I wasn't on Star Wars Rebels. Am I in the right place?

[Vanessa Marshall]

Absolutely. Each week we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Share some fun behind the scenes stories.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve blum voices Zaborelio's Specter 4, or Dante Bosco voiced a Jai Kel and many others.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Sometimes we'll even have a lively debate.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And we'll have plenty of other fun surprises and trivia too.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Oh, and me. Well, I'm the lucky ghost crew Stowaway, who gets to help moderate and guide the discussion each week. Kind of like how Kanan guided Ezra in the ways of the Force. You see what I did there?

[Vanessa Marshall]

Nicely done, John.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Thanks, Tia.

[Vanessa Marshall]

So hang on. Cause it's gonna be a fun ride.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Cue the music.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

School. Just the way I like it. He can't come.

You like that?

You gotta stay home. You gotta stay home. That's how it goes. See y'all at the Super Bowl. Stephen A. Smith show will be in the house all week long. Holla at your boys. Welcome back to Stephen A. Smith Show. I want to get into the latest on Sean Diddy Combs, y'all. I can't avoid this. Yesterday, federal prosecutors in New York filed a new superseding indictment Against Combs. The indictment contains no new charged crimes, but includes additional conduct as part of the alleged racketeering conspiracy, which prosecutors now say spanned a longer timeframe of about 20 years. Diddy's attorneys responded to the amendment with the following statement, quote, the latest indictment contains no new offenses. The prosecution's theory remains flawed. The government has added the ridiculous theory that two of Mr. Combs former girlfriends were not girlfriends at all, but were prostitutes. Mr. Combs is as committed as ever to fighting these charges and winning at trial, end quote. Meanwhile, did y'all see the new docu series the Fall of Diddy by Investigation Discovery that's also streaming on Max? The series is a comprehensive look at Sean Combs evolution in music mogul, entrepreneur and cultural icon. To many, the series also gets into his alleged dark side that includes accusations of rape, sex trafficking and prostitution. One notable quote came via Diddy ex girlfriend Kat Pasion, who alleged Diddy once told her, quote, there's a little bit of R. Kelly in all of us, end quote. While the two watched the surviving R. Kelly documentary. Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you something right now. I have an opinion that might not be popular. I have an opinion that you may not agree with, but I'm going to say it anyway because somebody needs to say it. I don't think the network should have been allowed to air that. I don't think any network should be allowed to air that before the trial.

See, you can't convince me that P. Diddy, Sean P. Diddy Combs is going to be able to find a jury of his peers who have not seen that docu series. I find that impossible to believe. I find that impossible to believe. Why am I saying all of this? Because I got to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, he looks guilty as hell. I don't know how guilty he is, but I know that I'm not going to be on a jury. And I know that if I saw that five part docu series that I just finished watching and I was on that jury, I would walk in there.

Looking at him like, man, please, your ass is guilty as hell. This bullshit.

That's exactly what I'd be thinking. That's exactly what I would be thinking. Because of the docu series, in this country, you're presumed innocent until proven guilty. I understand that's for the the purposes or the auspices of the court of law. I get that part. But damn, should you be allowed to incriminate somebody to a point where it completely, completely manipulates and dictates your opinion of that individual? There is no defense of the video that you saw with Diddy hitting and kicking and throwing stuff at Cassie Ventura. There is no defense for it. He will never live that down. But a whole bunch of stuff on this docu series, were people giving their takes. I'm not saying they're lying or telling the truth. I have no clue. I have no idea. I'm just saying that for the purposes of the docu series, I gotta tell you, there's no way in hell you walk away from that thinking he's anything.

Less than a monster.

And because that's the reality, I got a real problem with this airing before his trial because you still got to go out there and find a jury. You still got to go out there and find a jury of his peers. You've got to find people who are willing to be objective and fair minded and what have you and be completely neutral, basing their opinion strictly on the evidence that the prosecution presents, juxtaposing that to what the defense puts forth. And that is what is supposed to determine your decision. Not stuff that's happening outside the court and permeated and plastered all over the airwaves. Prime Video 5 part series. Again, he looks guilty as hell. I mean, damn. I mean, if this stuff is true, I mean, damn, damn, damn. But.

Should it be?

Should we be privy to that before the trial? With no defense for himself, he has.

To wait until he goes to court.

To plead his case and to defend himself. Sex trafficking, racketeering, people throwing out accusations of rape, sexual assault, et cetera. Even dudes. It ain't just women, it ain't just ex girlfriends. It's dudes, too. Patting their behinds and feeling them in the bathroom while he taking showers, having meetings while he's in the shower butt naked, bathing himself right in front of them men and women. Damn. You know, when he said he was really effed up.

It'S time to believe him. I don't know what drugs we could speculate. Weed, marijuana, cocaine, Adderall, I don't know. He definitely wasn't in his right mind.

That might be a part of his.

Defense for all we know.

All I'm saying is, damn. It's very incriminating and I find it very difficult to believe that anybody can watch that and then walk away saying he innocent.

I'm gonna find him not guilty. They gonna walk in there, you know.

Listen, I wish I had the video of when I was on First Take.

My day job on ESPN when the.

Dallas Cowboys was losing and they had that sister just sitting there with her face looking like totally disgusted.

Like black sisters can like, like our sisters can look when they like you. You know you are. You are sorry ass.

You know that kind of look. You know that only the sisters could give you that kind of look. I wish I had a picture of that woman as a Dallas Cowboy fan wearing a Dallas Cowboy jersey when they lost to the Green Bay packers, when Green Bay gave up for when they scored 48 on Dallas. That look says it all.

It speaks 10,000 words for various different situations. This would be one of them. I don't like the fact that it's over the airwaves before his trial. I just thought that needed to be said. Let me switch to another subject before I end this segment. Moving on. The 2025 Grammy Awards are this weekend and some of the presenters have been have been announced. Earlier today, the Recording Academy revealed that Cardi B? Sza and Will Smith will join Taylor Swift among the presenters at the award show. One could argue this is a big moment for Will Smith, whose who hasn't presented on this big of a stage since slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022. Smith did perform at the BET Awards last summer, but that's been about it in terms of appearing in major award shows. By the way, the Grammys will also celebrate the life of Quincy Jones in addition to the resilience of Los Angeles amid the ongoing fires in the city. But I want to focus on Will Smith. Obviously, I've been critical of Will Smith because I'm a friend of Chris Rock's and I don't appreciate what Will did. But I want to thank several people. I want to thank my man Charlie Mack, who is a bodyguard and a longtime friend spanning decades for Will Smith. I want to thank the great Antoine Fuqua, the director and producer extraordinaire who did Emancipation with Will Smith, would have won an Oscar for that too, had Will Smith not slapped Chris Rock. I want to thank Will Packer, who produced the Oscars, that same Oscars that Will Smith did what he did with Chris Rock. I want to thank my man Dougie Cash, who used to work at Hulu and used to work under Will Smith years ago and stuff like that. They weren't the only ones, but primarily those four brothers reached out to me directly and Charlie Mack was the most profound because I had said something about Will Smith prior to Bad Boys Ride or Die coming out, which by the way was a fantastic movie I've now seen about five times. And Charlie Mack said, what about Grace? Stephen A. He made A mistake. And I explained to Charlie Mack that as bad as I thought it was to be slapping a black man on national television, what really vexed me most was how it would affect Will Packer, how it would affect Antoine Fuqua, how it would affect Chris Rock. And I thought about the collateral damage that would take fold and how it would detrimentally affect opportunities for all of us down the line. And I just found myself asking, how could he do that? How could he lose himself and hurt all of us like that? But Will Smith is a fantastic artist who's done so much for so many people in this world, especially stuff, you know, folks from our community that reality is, is they were right. And I've known that for quite some times, which is why I haven't said anything from Will Smith. To see him in the movies is a great thing. To see him still thriving is a great thing. Chris Rock has moved on with his life. Who says Will Smith isn't entitled to do so himself? And to think about him coming back to the big stage and being at the awards and what have you, I'm quite sure he'll get a good ovation and it'll be because none of us want to be measured by our worst moment. All of us are flawed in the eyes of God. I knew that before, but I know that even now. And to my man Dougie and Antoine Fuqua and the Will Packer and especially to my man Charlie Mack, I just want to say thank you, wanna say thank you for reminding me of something I should have known all along. Despite what Will Smith did, he still wanted a great ones and he's one of the genuine good guys. He made a mistake and all of us should move on. Especially since Chris Rock has moved on and we should just march ahead and wish him nothing but the best to him and his family. That's where I'm at with it. I just wanted to say that more to Stephen A. Smith show, NBA All Star and who knows what else I'll touch on. Just know I'm coming back in a minute. This is Stephen A. Smith show. Don't go away. Welcome back to Stephen A. Smith Show. I want to follow up on some comments I made earlier this week on Bronny James. The comments were in reaction to Lakers head coach J.J. redick, who said he put Bronnie in a bad spot Tuesday night when the Lakers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers. Well, with all the noise that I made about that, apparently I wasn't the only one because Colin Cowherd of FS1 also heard those comments and spoke about the Lakers handling of their second round pick who happens to be the son of LeBron James. Take a look at this please. Right here on the full screen in the NFL. Media, coaches, fans, anybody, you can have real grown up conversations. You can hold players accountable. There's no walking on eggshells.

There's a way to measure success in the NBA.

You have to pretend that Bronny's an NBA player because otherwise you'll upset the King.

Can we stop pretending with this? Come on, let's just stop pretending.

This continues to be an unserious story, Cowherd continued. What you don't want to become is an unserious league. The NFL, you take it seriously because they take it seriously.

End quote.

What's the interpretation for what Colin Cowherd was explaining? I'll tell you what the interpretation is. The interpretation is that you can't get away with having somebody who's clearly not ready to be in the league be in the league and put them on the field with dudes who are putting their bodies and their livelihoods on the line. Can't do it. Now again, I want to reemphasize what I'm trying to say. I'm not a person that believes that Bronny James doesn't have potential. I'm certainly not rooting against him. I think the money he gets paid is nobody's business. His father's underpaid, grossly underpaid, continuously underpaid with what he means to the league. The salary that LeBron James is subjected to pales in comparison to what his worth actually is, even though obviously he makes gobs and gobs of money off the court. But the reality is, is that Bronny James hasn't appeared to be ready to play in the NBA. Just cause you make a shot here and there doesn't mean you're ready to play in the NBA. On a night in, night out basis. I used the Marvis Frazier going up against Larry Holmes an analogy because Joe Frazier was criticized for putting his son in the ring against former heavyweight champion of the world Larry Holmes. And Larry Holmes was quoted saying, ain't no dude with 10 fights, ain't no kid with 10 fights gonna beat me. And he went in there and finished him off in the first round and called for the referee to stop the fight, waved the referee three times and hit him and wait for the referees to stop the fight because he was clearly in over his head. And that seems to be the case with Bronny James. Now, some people close to LeBron James in his camp felt that that was stepping over the line, that that wasn't a good analogy, et cetera, et cetera. Well, I asked this question rhetorically. What the hell did Tyrese Maxey look like the other day going against Bronny James? James, if that wasn't a Larry Holmes, Marvis Frazier comparison, I don't know what is. He had 43, by the way. All I'm saying to you is that Bronny James has potential. And I think the potential is better suited working your way in the G League and working your way up so you ain't going back and forth, but you're literally there permanently. You're in the G League until you come to the NBA. As opposed to going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Because that's just reminding people that you're LeBron James, son, as opposed to an individual who earned his stripes. And I said LeBron James, your dad and you're a basketball savant. Why expose him to this? Going into last night's game against Washington, the hapless Washington Wizards, by the way, doesn't even resemble an NBA team. Don't get me started with them in this 16 game losing streak. 13 games, 44 minutes, one for 16 shooter from the field. Oh, for seven from three point range, 0.3 points, 0.3 rebounds, or three assists, rather 0.4 rebounds per game. Come on. That's all I'm saying. I want Bronnie James to make it. I want him to shut up critics. I want him to succeed. I am not rooting against him. You ever met LeBron James family? You ever met Savannah, one of the most wonderful, wonderful human beings you could ever meet? Have you really sat down and talked to LeBron James at some point in time? A really good dude. Okay. I mean, we don't mess with each other because I work in a profession that has to be critical of him. And I understand that. But I know he's a great guy. You ever met his mother, Gloria? Love, Miss Gloria. Love it or death. Maverick Carter. Rich, Paul, Randy. Randy Mims. These are good dudes. They're just loyal to him. I see Randy and he looking at me all hard and all this. I don't take that personally. He loves LeBron. That's his guy. Rich Paul, when he texts me and call, calls me and he's complaining about something, that's his guy. You know what? If I was in LeBron James position, y'all would hear from my boy Cardell. You would hear from Jeff, you would hear from Mark. You would hear from my man Spank. You would hear from, you know, a whole bunch of cats. Because I got boys who love me, too, just like his boys love him. I understand take that personal. As long as I don't get personal, I don't worry about it. Because I'm never gonna do that. I am a fan of LeBron James. I just gotta call it like I see it. And I think in the case of his son, the dad needs to step in and say, this might not be. You might not be ready yet. That's okay. That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. But I was glad he looked decent against the Wizards the other night. And I hope that he continues to succeed. And I hope that Bronnie James makes lies of a bunch of people. I'm rooting for the kid. Never rooting against him. Hearing a lot about his brother, Bryce, younger brother, and a lot about his potential. This kid is something. But I didn't even bring up Melo, as in Carmelo Anthony, and how his son, who is committed to Syracuse, who has a game and everybody knows has a game, seems to be doing it the right way. Just seems to be doing it the right way. But I'll leave that alone for now. I'll wait until I go on 7pm in Brooklyn with my man Mello to discuss that further. Let me get to some quick hitters before we get on out of here for the day. We'll continue in the NBA.

Did y'all see that game last night?

Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies.

Did you see it? I know I saw it. Grizzlies edged the Rockets 120 to 119.

In the battle between the two and.

Three seeds in the Western Conference.

Ladies and gentlemen, if this is the Western Conference finals matchup, I'd love it. I'd love it. John Morant didn't play last night. Shagun didn't play last night for the Houston Rockets. I don't give a damn. That kid, Jalen Green is going to be a star.

That kid.

Amen Thompson.

Remember, I keep telling y'all, this brother turned 22 January 30th. This brother, amen Thompson, special, special. Fierce defender, rebounder, competitor.

And he's got a game that's just blossoming. Ime Udoka, to me, is one of the best coaches in the game. He's going to win a championship in Houston.

Houston Rockets. I mean, Jenkins can coach his butt off. Memphis. Is Memphis to be respected John Moran brings his game. Make no mistake about it.

Memphis is formidable. But the Houston Rockets, I'm telling y'all, I'm telling y'all, Houston is gonna make some noise.

Houston, I'm not even sure it's right to say they're a piece away.

I just think they're experience away. I love what I'm seeing in Houston. I love what IME Udoka is doing. Keep your eyes on it, y'all. Houston Rockets, they coming, y'all, they coming. Now let's talk about the All Star game, please. The Eastern and Western conference teams have been named, but there's a glaring omission on the eastern roster in some people's eyes. Anyway, it's Lamelo Ball. Ball is now the first player to lead his position group in fan voting that is not named in All Star. The voting, the voting format changed in 2016, 2017 season to factor in fans, media and players, okay? And that's why Lamello Ball didn't get in. Because the media and the players didn't have him as the top guy. The fans did because they want to see a brother put on the show. He averaging like 28 points a game, but he shoot like 42% from the field, like 33% for three point range. He's a volume shooter. I'm not questioning Lamelo's game. The brother can ball. Here's what I would tell you. Your team is 12 and 32. That's what happens. You, you, you miss all star games when your team is 20 games under.500. That's what happens. That's the way it goes. And to me, that's not the biggest snub. Ladies and gentlemen, Kyrie Irving for the Dallas Mavericks. What about him? What about Kyrie Irving? I got an even better. You see what he's doing? 24.2 points, 48 shoot for the field, 42% for the three point range. And they win. When he's on the court. Even without Luka Doncic, Kyrie is special and he's made for All Star weekend. Why he ain't there? Here's another one, ladies and gentlemen. You ready for this? How about the Clippers? Norman Powell? I'm not in any way saying James Harden doesn't deserve it, because he does. He's had a great. He's had a damn good season and he's really resurrected his his career. And it was reminded us all of the respect that he deserves. James Harden I'm talking about. But how about Norman Powell, brother averaging about 24 a game, shooting about 43 from three point range. The Clippers are seven games over.500 and this dude has been a reserve his.

Entire career and has worked his tail off, never cheats. You always comes ready to ball. Always Norman Powell. To me that's the biggest snub of them all. Clippers are seven games over.500. Kawhi Leonard has missed about 38, 39.

Games and the Clippers are seven games.

Over.500 and the top six seed in the Western Conference. Why the hell ain't Norman Powell there's. He deserves it. He deserves it.

I'm just saying. Let's talk about NBA Commissioner Adam Silva, who made waves earlier this week by the way Silver appeared on the Dan Patrick show and said that he was in favor of the league shortening the game from 48 minutes to 40 minutes. Here's what the commissioner had to say. Quote the NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes.

I am a fan of four 10 minute quarters.

I'm not sure that many others are. I mean putting aside what it means for records and things like that, I think that a two hour format for a game is more consistent with modern television habits. Incidentally, if you went to a 40 minute game with the minutes around load management and resting, it would be the equivalent of, I don't know, exact Math, taking like 15 games off the season. I don't want to hear that. I get where Adam Silver's coming from. Limit the minute minutes. It amounts to about 15 less games a year when you take into account the minutes because you're chopping eight minutes off of regulation. I get that part. I get a part about the modern day era of television watchers and how it appears to be viewer friendly with what he was suggesting. Sir. Commissioner, that is not the problem. The problem is the effort. How many concessions are you going to make for players who just don't want to come to work? I mean, come on, come on now.

You give them, do you chop it.

Down to 40 minutes? It still ain't going to stop them from load managing. It's still not going to stop them from missing games. It's still not going to stop them from being lackadaisical at times. I'm not talking about all. I'm not talking about most, but some. It's still not going to get them.

To prioritize stuff like All Star Weekend.

The commissioner somebody sent me a text yesterday and I thought it was very, very profound. Especially when they were talking about All Star Weekend. They said the players look at the league like a bank not like partners. The bank has your money. We got to go to the bank to get the money. So, okay, that's what we got to do. But we don't like going to the bank. We don't like dealing with them, but.

We have no choice, because they got our money.

The person that sent me that text was absolutely right. That's how the players view the league. And the sad part about it is they get away with it. Only because Adam Silver is an incredibly player friendly, nice man. Y'all lucky as hell Commissioner David Stern isn't alive and in that seat, and you didn't have to deal with him. Y'all know good and well y'all wouldn't even try it. Let me tell y'all something, and I want everybody to listen. I want my whole team out there to listen. I want my team right here to listen.

I want to tell you something about.

David Stern, and I'm not casting any Asperger on the man. I love the man. We had our battles and issues in the past, but in the years leading up to his passing, we cultivated a very close relationship. And I grew to just love him and respect the hell out of them. And I appreciated the advice and the counsel and the straight, candid, no nonsense approach he had with me. Okay, let me tell y'all a little story. David Stern once said this to a network head executive. I'm not going to tell you which network. It wasn't mine. I'm not going to tell you which network. I'm not going to tell you the name of the person. I'm not going to tell you anything. I'm going to give you an example of who David Stern was. David Stern wanted somebody to come to a game with him, fly out with him, and go to a game with him, one of their network executives. And the executive said, dave, I appreciate it, and I will come with you and I'll bring my kids. Like, because Davis Turner asked him to bring his kids with him.

Let's go. Let's go to the game.

And the executive said to him, only on one condition. You can't call me a dumb in front of my kids. That's a true story. What is the lesson? Appeal from that? David Stern would say that to anybody. He pulled no punches. When we got in an argument one day early in my career, he called me a piece of and said, lose the number, and hung up on me. And we didn't talk for two years. And ladies and gentlemen, I'm one of countless victims of his diatribes and wrath Michael Jordan knows about his wrath. Allen Iverson knows about his wrath. Dwayne Wade knows about his wrath along with countless others, players, coaches. I saw him walk up to a coach that was critical of the referees, and he walked up to the coach and smiled right at courtside as he was walking to his seat and he says, do you like your job? And the coach said, of course, I love it. He said, well, you better shut the fuck up if you want to keep liking it, because it won't be here for long if you don't learn to shut up, and walked away right in front of me and other media members. David Stern in play. Adam Silva doesn't have to be that. I don't think he's capable of being that. But he cares so much about the players. My advice to him would be care about those who care about you and leave the rest be to your discretion because you got a lead to run. That would be my advice to Adam Silver, who I also have a great relationship with and I respect the hell out of, and I think he does a great job. Our last quick hitter is a shout out to the one and only Dwyane Wade. The Miami Heat legend and hall of Famer revealed yesterday that he had surgery on his kidney in 2023 to remove a tumor. Wade said doctors removed 40% of his right kidney and that test on that tumor showed it was cancerous. He also said he was thankful that he decided to go forward with the procedure while acknowledging the decision itself was a low point in his life. I've been tight with D. Wade for years. I had no idea about this. Nobody tells you everything. I'm just happy that my man seems well and in good spirits. He was out of the country a couple of days ago. He and I spoke. One of the best people I've ever covered in professional sports. Just a good hearted, soulful, decent, at his core human being. Even when he was mad at you, he didn't come at you wrong. Class personified. One of the best human beings ever. Thank God he's okay. Thank God he's feeling well. Wishing him nothing but continued health moving forward. I love this brother. He's good people. One of the best people I know and I've ever covered in professional sports in my life. So I'm very, very relieved that he seems to be okay. Now, let's get to your tweets. Before I get on out of here, let's see what you got for me. Three tweets.

Legoames_6 right.

Stephen A. Who's Donald Trump's NBA player comparison. Oh, God. Oh, my Lord. I have no idea of this question. I really, really don't. I'm trying to think Donald Trump's NBA player comparison. One of my producers ignorantly said, Jordan, who left and came back. You can't mention Michael Jordan and Donald Trump in the same breath. No, they can't do that. Can't do it. Somebody else said, big country, remember him? You can say Sean Bradley. No, I don't know. I honestly don't know. I have to think about this. I can't just flat out an answer when it comes to comparing somebody to Donald Trump as a basketball player, I can't do it. Better yet, who do you think is the NBA player you can compare to Donald Trump?

What do y'all think sending your responses? I swear to you, no question has ever stuck me like that before. I have no. I can't think of a player who I would mention that says the NBA player that most resembles Donald Trump.

I guess their play compared to his actions is the commander in chief.

I don't know.

I'm interested in knowing what y'all think, though. Tell you that much. Let's go to the next tweet. What you got at Cheapy Mac or Cheapy Mac? C H E A P I E M A C Stephen A. Smith. My fiance is mad that I keep referring to our future wedding as my first wedding. I don't understand what she's upset about. Now that's some ignorant ass shit to say my first wedding as opposed to my wedding.

What? You planning on having a second wedding and a third wedding and a fourth wedding? You're planning on getting divorced and remarried. If you're gonna sit up there and say my first wedding, tell her. Because you have every intention of renewing your vow every 10 or 20 years. Don't just say my first wedding and just leave it out there.

See, you the type of person that's gonna have to be deprived of some loving. That's what's gonna happen here.

You gonna get deprived.

She gonna give you, go cold turkey on you. She gonna keep the sheets cold. She ain't gonna keep you warm.

She ain't gonna take care of you.

And then she gonna train your ass to get it right. Cause clearly you don't know any better. That's just dumb. My first wedding. Stop saying that.

My wedding. And if you say my first, just say baby.

Because 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and 7th wedding are all gonna be with you when I renew my vows over the next 70 years. Say some smooth stuff like that.

Don't just sit up there and say, my first wedding and just leave it at that. You're telling her you're planning on getting divorced at some time down the line and somebody else gonna replace her. That's not smart. That's not smart. Last tweet.

What you got at Young Drole, right, Stephen A. Smith, if Jalen hurts, can't go in two weeks, will you step in at quarterback if you got the call? Hell to the no. That's football. I got long legs. The first tackle, my knees are shot. Hell no. Hell to the no. Now, basketball is a different matter, but.

Football, I've never put on a helmet.

I've never touched a football field in my life, and I've never once had a desire to do so. Hell to the no. That's just the way it goes. Okay? By the way, before I let y'all get on outta here, I got something to tell y'all. Don't miss the Stephen A. Smith show next week from New Orleans, where we'll be broadcasting all week ahead of the Super Bowl. We've got an all star cast of guests joining us throughout the week as we count down The Super Bowl 59 between the Eagles and the Chiefs.

And by the way, tell us who you think will win the game on our poll on my Twitter page at Stephen A. Smith.

Okay, make sure you do that. I'll be looking for your responses. Until then, I gotta sign off on here. Y'all be good. Hope y'all have an absolutely, positively wonderful weekend. I will see y'all Monday live from New Orleans. Until then, everybody, that's it for the this edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Signing off. Peace and love.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents, we'll have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Swearbinks]

What's up, everyone? Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together.

[Julie Swearbinks]

Here we go, the Name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swearbinks]

It exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swearbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.