Back in July, Draymond Green used his own podcast to question Stephen A. Smith, claiming the title of a “journalist.” He pointed out that Smith is rarely in locker rooms facing the players he criticizes. Jemele Hill backed the challenge without even needing to elaborate much further. One of ESPN’s own most respected veterans picked up that debate and went even further than Green or Hill did.

Appearing on The Traina Thoughts podcast, Michael Wilbon was asked whether Smith should still be considered a journalist.

“He’s not a journalist. He’s not,” Wilbon said. “It doesn’t matter what he fought back. He knows he lost that fight. If you’re walking in wearing a white, $6,000 suit, and you want them to photograph you walking to Madison Square Garden, you’re not a goddamn journalist. Neither am I. I’m not a journalist anymore.”

“When you’re answering questions about running for president, you’re not a journalist. You’re not. You’re a showman. He wants to be the show,” Wilbon said. “When every day that’s what you do, then do it. He does it really, really, really well. He knows how to be a showman … Then don’t turn around and tell me you’re a journalist. You’re not. I’m not. He knows that.”

Wilbon’s comments extend a disagreement that’s been there since early July. Green pressed Smith on the same question during a podcast appearance, with Hill joining in to question whether Smith’s current role still fits the label he keeps claiming.

Stephen A. Smith has pushed back forcefully each time the challenge has resurfaced. He told Wilbon in a follow-up conversation, “I don’t just talk, I get intel, I cultivate sources, I network,” and turned the question back on his longtime colleague by asking pointedly, “What are you?”

Despite the bluntness of his comments, Wilbon was careful to frame the critique as separate from his personal relationship with Smith. He repeatedly called him “like a little brother” and acknowledged the respect built over decades working alongside each other.

Stephen A., for his part, has said he’d still hug Wilbon regardless of how the debate plays out publicly, suggesting both men view this as a genuine professional disagreement rather than a personal rift.

Green, a four-time NBA champion with no journalism background, and Hill, a veteran reporter who worked alongside Smith for years at ESPN, have now both publicly challenged Smith. Wilbon adds a third, arguably more authoritative voice to that list, as a longtime beat reporter turned television star who’s openly applying the same standard to himself that he’s applying to Smith.

Stephen A. Smith has continued to insist that his sourcing and access still qualify him as a journalist. Now three separate, credible voices are pushing back on that claim, as the debate shows no sign of being settled anytime soon – even among people who clearly respect each other.