Criticism isn’t anything new for Stephen A. Smith. He has often dealt with it and aggressively addressed his detractors on air without hesitation. Be it against NBA or WNBA players, politicians, or league executives. This time, however, Smith is against the National Association of Black Journalists, who have criticized his behavior, something that even Kevin Hart once called out.
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Robert Littal, who created BlackSportsOnline, tweeted that NABJ has turned against Smith and has given him a “Thumbs Down” Award, despite previously inviting him and ESPN to one of its yearly conventions. The broadcasting veteran saw this and warned that he would soon release a rebuttal.
“This is the epitome of Christmas arriving early,” Smith wrote on X in a post that has close to 600k views. “The @NABJ wants to call folks out, fine! You had your turn, now mine is coming. And make no mistake…..,I’m coming. Let’s see who REALLY deserves a Thumbs Down award when it comes to the Black Community, after I say my peace! Remember @NABJ , you asked for it. I’ve shut my mouth for years. Now y’all started something.”
Philip Lewis, a HuffPost deputy editor and Washington Association of Black Journalists president, shared the nomination-esque video of Stephen A., which has gained over a million views within 12 hours.
“Stephen A. Smith, sports analyst and political commentator. Smith has established a recurring public pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent black women across politics, sports, and media. Such commentary reinforces harmful narratives, undermines the fair and respectful representation of black women in public discourse, and stands in direct conflict with NABJ’s longstanding commitment to accurate, responsible, and inclusive portrayals of black communities.”
At the August event, NABJ President Errin Haines made sure to say this wasn’t just a simple thumbs down, but was “a call to do better.”
“The door is open,” Haines said. “The conversation is available, and the opportunity to change is real. But NABJ will not be silent. Not in this moment and not on my watch. There can be no revolution without accountability. There can be no accountability without courage. And there can be no journalism that is worthy of its history if we are afraid to speak truth to power.”
NABJ referenced a pattern without listing specifics. But as Littal stated, in 2024, First Take and Smith were part of the NABJ. Smith even made a high-energy entrance at the convention in Chicago, exclaiming, “DID YA MISS MEEEE?”
In fact, the veteran broadcaster apparently cut short vacation time for NABJ and even had a positive message. “You come to a place like the National Association of Black Journalists conference, and you’re reminded of what togetherness is all about. How there’s strength in numbers and unity,” Smith said at the time.
Earlier this year, Kevin Hart, at his roast show, joked that the ESPN host hates Black people, naming Smith among his “Mount Rushmore” in the category. After hearing that, Stephen A. Smith was dejected. He replied, stating he had a good relationship with Kevin Hart over the years, and the statement “stung like hell.”
“I’ve spent my life fighting on behalf of my community … People try to continue this narrative about me that I know is false, but that nevertheless still hurts to hear out of the mouth of anyone who knows me,” Smith said at the time.
In his sharp response to Hart, Stephen A. Smith also confirmed that he could “respond more vitriolically, but I won’t. More incendiary, but I won’t.” Months after that, the NABJ gave the veteran broadcaster a Thumbs Down award.
Three months ago, former NBA star Etan Thomas wrote an article for The Guardian about Smith, titled: “I can tell Stephen A Smith why many Black people don’t like him.” Thomas acknowledged that Smith has helped generate millions in scholarships and brought national media attention to HBCUs across the country.
However, from solely a sports perspective, Thomas highlighted that, “Far too often, you attack Black male athletes in particular – Kyrie Irving, Kwame Brown, LeBron James, Terrell Owens and Kevin Durant are just a few of your targets – with a passion and vitriol you just don’t reserve for white athletes and executives.”
Across the ongoing offseason, Jaylen Brown and Draymond Green have criticized Smith’s journalistic credibility more than once. In fact, Green said the media veteran loosely “throws out the journalist tag all the time.”
“So, you say all of these things on television,” Green continued. “Jaylen Brown has been very outspoken about it. The anonymous sources and all of these things… which almost makes people, especially athletes, not respect journalists because you’re throwing out the journalist tag.”
The Warriors veteran also argued that Smith is never inside the locker room to know exactly what’s going on between two teammates, but he still comments on everything regardless. After weeks of heated back-and-forth on social media, the ESPN host dropped a warning to the Dubs player in August.
“Guess who you’re going to see in the locker rooms a little bit in the upcoming season?” Smith said on his channel. “That’s what you want. You want to see me at the games? You want me to be somebody that you can reach out and touch? Ain’t nobody scared. No problem.”
Now, it appears Stephen A. Smith isn’t planning on staying quiet after the recent NABJ ‘Thumbs Down’ incident. His tweet suggests a detailed rant video is coming sooner rather than later.