Stephen A. Smith landed in another controversy with his statement on SiriusXM. While praising LeBron James on SiriusXM, callers suggested NASCAR drivers deserved a spot in the “best athletes” conversation. He shut them down, saying, “Come on, man, that don’t count. You driving a car! A NASCAR driver is not an athlete.”

His comments didn’t sit well with the NASCAR world, including Michael Jordan and an NBA star. They pushed back, but Smith remained unmoved.

Michael Jordan phones Smith—words fly, egos clash

In May 2026, Jordan called Smith directly. Smith talked about the exchange on his own show: “You know who wanted to correct me about the NASCAR thing? Michael Jordan. I argued with him.” The word he used to describe the conversation was “spirited.”

Smith didn’t budge. “I argued with him because that’s how I feel. I’m being honest. It’s not a crime,” he said. He also dismissed the growing wave of criticism as “gang mentality.”

Cooper Flagg was clear about where he stood. NASCAR drivers are “definitely athletes” and “world-class ones.” The G-forces and heat were “no joke,” he said at Texas Motor Speedway, adding that the experience gave him “a whole new level of respect.”

This isn’t a new take for Smith. He has long held the same view about golfers. His logic: if someone can do something in their 60s or 70s, it doesn’t count as athletic. He also admitted on air that he “doesn’t know [Joey Logano] from a can of paint” and is “not a big fan of the sport.” His only actual connection to NASCAR is through Jordan, which is exactly what made this argument personal.

Why Jordan is the one Smith can’t dismiss

Michael Jordan’s involvement in NASCAR is undeniable. The team owner is in the 23XI pit box, wears a headset, and reviews telemetry while conferring with crew chiefs. He has put over $150 million into that team. 

Jordan’s pushback comes from experience. He has seen firsthand what Tyler Reddick, who won the 2026 Daytona 500, endures—a heart rate between 150 and 170 BPM, a cockpit temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit and above, and a caloric burn of up to 3,000 calories per race.

The thing about NASCAR is that it’s not without its incidents, and the assumption that it’s not a challenging sport is a hugely misguided belief. Let’s take 23XI’s current drivers, for example.

In June 2022, Bubba Wallace almost fainted on camera. He drove for Richard Petty Motorsports then. After finishing a 500-mile race in 85-degree Fahrenheit heat at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Wallace fainted live on television—twice. He lost consciousness while he was giving an interview to Fox Sports reporter Jamie Little.

Another incident concerns Reddick in September 2024. Sitting inside a 130-degree Fahrenheit cockpit while physically ill, he had to be fed stomach-calming medicine through the window during pit stop durations. Reddick pulled through and secured the regular-season championship, but had to be sent away for medical attention soon after.

So any opinion that NASCAR is not a sport and NASCAR racers are not athletes is surely questionable.