ESPN’s First Take Under Fire After Stephen A. Smith Walks the Same Path as LeBron James

When it comes to ESPN, fans never shy away from voicing their opinions. Over the years, the network has transformed from a highlight machine to a debate-driven hub, and not everyone is thrilled with the shift. That became especially clear this week when First Take found itself in the spotlight yet again, not because of the usual on-set arguments, but because Stephen A Smith took a step in a direction that many thought mirrored LeBron James’ most criticized move.

Before we even get into Smith’s surprising decision, it’s worth pointing out how ESPN itself has evolved. Viewers once tuned in around the clock for “Top 10 Plays” and endless SportsCenter highlight loops. Now, the content looks very different. ESPN executives shifted strategy in the mid-2010s, moving away from pure highlights toward analysis, streaming-first programming, and personality-driven debate. That pivot happened because fans began consuming highlights on their phones and social apps, making the old format outdated. The changes worked for some, but for traditionalists, the network doesn’t feel the same anymore.

And with that backdrop of constant reinvention and fan frustration, Stephen A Smith’s latest move sparked a firestorm. The ESPN star brought his teenage daughter, Samantha, onto The Stephen A. Smith Show and even allowed her to step onto First Take, where she roasted him in front of millions. On paper, it sounds harmless and even fun, but given Smith’s history of hammering LeBron James over nepotism, the timing couldn’t have been more awkward.

This wasn’t just any guest appearance either; it was her official debut on his platform, later amplified by First Take’s official X account, which proudly posted: “We brought @stephenasmith’s daughter, Samantha, on the show to roast her dad 😂.” Samantha wasted no time taking playful shots at her father. She poked fun at his outfits, joking that “white isn’t his color,” roasted his bucket hat, and even revealed she had once found “sparkly” red, orange, and yellow sneakers in his closet. She joked, “I don’t know why he shops like that,” before teasingly comparing it to a disastrous orange outfit he wore on a boat trip years ago.

Just a few days ago, things got even spicier when a viewer asked her if she hated LeBron James on the Stephen A Smith Podcast. Instead of dodging, Samantha admitted she once had a crush on Bryce James, LeBron’s son, calling it “really awkward” considering her father’s feud with LeBron. She quickly added, “I’m joking,” but Smith was visibly stunned, shooting back, “You’d better be.” That moment lit up social media, especially since it directly tied his family to the very feud he’s fueled all year.

The irony didn’t go unnoticed: here was Stephen A Smith, the same man who slammed LeBron for influencing Bronny James’ NBA path, now giving his own daughter a spotlight on ESPN’s biggest platform. Fans quickly pointed out the hypocrisy, and the narrative became impossible to ignore.

Fans Fire Back with Nostalgia and Criticism

“Remember when ESPN was Top 10 plays and highlights on repeat for basically 24 hours.” Many fans immediately contrasted the lighthearted Samantha segment with what ESPN used to be. In the 1990s and 2000s, SportsCenter highlights ran nearly nonstop, a model that collapsed once smartphones made clips instantly available. By 2017, ESPN was rolling out Snapchat editions and Scott Van Pelt’s late-night talk-show spin on SportsCenter. The network’s DNA fundamentally changed,and Samantha’s roast was another reminder of how far things have shifted.

“ESPN is d*** and I blame fans for even entertaining this dumb a** s***.” That sentiment got loud after Samantha’s appearance. But calling ESPN “d***” isn’t entirely accurate. Ratings are down, yes, linear primetime averaged 1.67 million viewers in 2024, a 2% year-over-year dip. The real culprit is cord-cutting: ESPN has lost tens of millions of subscribers since 2013. To fight back, Disney launched ESPN as a full direct-to-consumer service in August 2025. So while traditional cable numbers look grim, ESPN’s pivot shows it isn’t going anywhere. 

“ESPN got ALL THE money and don’t know what to do w/ it pertaining to SPORTS yo.” Critics argue the network spends recklessly, but ESPN remains a financial giant. S&P Global estimated $7.8 billion in affiliate fees alone in 2023, and Disney’s sports segment posted $1.0 billion in operating income in Q3 FY2025. Plus, ESPN recently struck a deal giving the NFL a 10% stake in exchange for key assets like NFL Network and RedZone. In short, the cash is real, and it’s being redirected toward streaming and long-term rights, even if fans aren’t impressed by viral family cameos. 

“Damn I miss the Cold Pizza days …This right now is an absolute abomination.” Here’s where nostalgia kicks in. Cold Pizza ran on ESPN2 from 2003–2007, blending lifestyle with sports. On May 7, 2007, it morphed into First Take, ushering in the debate-heavy format that made Stephen A Smith a household name. To fans who miss the lighter touch, Samantha’s appearance may have felt like ESPN doubling down on “clown show” vibes. 

“@espn is doubling up on the clown-show narrative. Good for them.” That’s exactly how some fans framed it. ESPN recently ended Around the Horn after a 23-year run, cut back on legacy debate shows, and launched “Verts,” a mobile-first short-form highlight product. In other words, the network is intentionally leaning into personality-driven narratives while restructuring around digital-first consumption. Samantha roasting her dad fits perfectly into that mold, even if critics see it as more circus than sports coverage. 

The bigger question remains: was this simple family fun or another example of nepotism in sports media? Stephen A Smith has long argued that LeBron giving Bronny James an NBA opportunity undermined meritocracy. Yet by inviting Samantha to his podcast and ESPN’s flagship debate show, Smith handed his daughter a platform few could dream of.

Sure, this was framed as a one-off viral segment. Unlike Bronny’s NBA contract, Samantha isn’t chasing a professional media career,at least not yet. But the parallels are obvious, and fans didn’t miss the hypocrisy. For Smith, who thrives on being outspoken, the irony might sting more than the actual criticism.

Stephen A Smith’s decision to bring his daughter, Samantha, into the ESPN spotlight stirred laughter, headlines, and controversy all at once. What started as playful roasting quickly turned into a debate about hypocrisy, nepotism, and the ever-changing face of ESPN programming. Whether you laughed along or rolled your eyes, the moment added a new wrinkle to his long-running feud with LeBron James.

So now the question is yours: was Stephen A Smith simply showing a more human side as a father, or did he walk the very same nepotism path he’s always criticized LeBron James for?