Stephen A. Smith Gets Unusual Support From Bucks Star Over Giannis Remark as Michelle Beadle Fires Another Shot

Stephen A. Smith never needed enemies—his words usually do the job. His voice, sharp as ever, cuts through the NBA world like a siren you can’t ignore. From bold predictions to borderline discredit, the ESPN megastar rarely holds back. This time, Giannis Antetokounmpo was in the crosshairs. Calling a champion an “underachiever” was always going to spark backlash. But as backlash swirls like a storm, a rare sight emerges—flickers of support reaching him through the chaos he created.

It was Brian Windhorst who first saw through Stephen A.’s intentions with his words. Given how Giannis himself admitted he needs more rings else he’s letting himself down, it kind of builds the base of the debate. However, very few people, or maybe no one, would see through this simple math. Except, the Greek Freak’s teammate Bobby Portis Jr.

Portis joined the conversation with Run It Back and said, “I get both sides of it. I get Stephen A.’s side because it’s like, okay, Giannis, you have a chance to be—obviously, you’re already a one-of-one player. Guys can’t really duplicate what you do on the basketball court.” Of course, winning another ring would elevate his legacy even further. Most importantly, no one can truly replicate Giannis’ skill set, making his potential even more significant. “If you get another ring, just one more, that puts you in a whole other stratosphere of players. There’s a difference between being an NBA champion and being a two-time NBA champion.”

But then you would argue that there are Hall of Famers with just a ring. Dirk Nowitzki, for example—just one ring and he has his statue outside AAC! Now, if Giannis Antetokounmpo wins another ring, then he can easily surpass Dirk. “He has 30,000 points or whatever it is, top five all-time scorer or whatever. But just those small things can put you in a different stratosphere,” Bobby Portis added. “Maybe from being the 18th player all-time to maybe the 12th. You never know what those things can push you to.”

While Portis offered a calm bridge between critique and context, not everyone chose peace. Some voices still echoed with defiance. One, in particular, brought spice to the table. Michelle Beadle, never one to hold back, stepped into the spotlight next. And this time, she came armed with sarcasm and smoke.

Stephen A. Smith faces Michelle Beadle’s sharp words amidst the Giannis drama

While talking about Stephen A. Smith‘s comment on Giannis, Run It Back’s host Michelle Beadle asked an interesting question. Was it a jab at ESPN’s gem? Absolutely. She said, “Was he playing a video game when he said it, or was he actually paying attention?” She hasn’t stopped blasting the veteran analyst since her first outburst two weeks ago. Beadle has worked with Smith at ESPN, and now, the 57-year-old will replace her time slot on Mad Dog Sports Radio with his new Sirius XM show launching this September.

Beadle, who departed from ESPN in 2019, revealed that her tensions with the First Take host stretch back years. Their conflict began in 2014, when she publicly criticized Smith on social media for his remarks concerning Ray Rice’s assault incident involving his then-fiancée, sparking a long-standing professional rift.

“I don’t respect him,” Beadle said of Smith. “I don’t respect his work. He doesn’t like me. This goes back to the Ray Rice stuff. He made some really piggish comments on the air; I responded; he got suspended for like two weeks. I think that was sort of the beginning of the end for anything; I just don’t respect him. I think he gets things wrong all the time. I’m not talking about opinions; those can never be wrong. But factually, when you spread yourself so thin, it’s hard to be right. Not a fan.”

Stephen A. Smith stirred the pot by calling Giannis an underachiever, but surprisingly, Bobby Portis Jr. offered rare support. He saw both sides, saying one more ring could push Giannis into a new tier. Yet Michelle Beadle was not buying it. From her 2014 clash with Stephen A. to her latest jab—“Was he playing a video game?”—the 49-year-old stayed relentless. She questioned his facts, doubted his work, and lit the flame anew.