Stephen A. Smith has built his career on speaking facts. Changing course has never been his trademark, which made his latest message all the more striking. Instead of defending years of criticism directed at Kyrie Irving, the veteran analyst admitted he got it wrong.  And in doing so, Smith reopened one of the NBA’s most polarizing debates from the pandemic era.

“Kyrie Irving did nobody wrong. We did him wrong. I did him wrong. And for that, I’m sincerely sorry,” Smith said, speaking on The Stephen A. Smith Show.

“I need to do better,” Smith added. “I’m not alone, but I’m responsible for me. I need to do better. And I will.”

During Kyrie Irving’s controversial 2021 standoff with the Brooklyn Nets, Smith became one of his most vocal critics. He repeatedly questioned Irving’s decision to remain unvaccinated, arguing that it hurt both the Nets’ championship aspirations and his teammates. 

Smith called Kyrie Irving “flat-out stupid,” and demanded a trade. “Trade him! If he ain’t gonna take the vaccine and can’t play half your home games, trade him.” 

Smith’s latest remarks suggest his perspective has shifted over time. 

During the monologue, he referenced recent developments involving former public health official Dr. Anthony Fauci. His repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment before the Senate committee has created “grounds for suspicion,” according to Smith. 

“That suspicion alone justifies the skepticism, the cynicism, and the doubt that came along with the Kyrie Irvings, the Aaron Rodgers, the Novak Djokovics of the world. They weren’t as wrong as we thought they were.”

For Kyrie Irving, the moment represents another chapter in a career that has often extended beyond basketball.

His decisions have repeatedly sparked national conversations about personal choice, public responsibility and the role that athletes play in cultural debates. In the past, Kyrie, sticking to his choice, argued, “It’s not about being anti-vax or about being on one side or the other. It’s about being true to what feels good to me.”

However, he couldn’t play home games because of New York’s strict vaccination policy, with his stance becoming one of several factors that shaped his long-term future with Brooklyn before he was traded to the Mavericks in 2023.

In short, Smith’s message doesn’t rewrite that history. 

It simply reflects how one of sports media’s recognizable voices now views his own role in it. By ending his monologue with “Peace and love,” followed by “I need to do better,” Smith shifted the focus away from Kyrie Irving and toward himself. It marked a rare moment of self-reflection from someone who has frequently faced criticism from athletes over his commentary.