Just when the quiet settles in, Stephen A. Smith stirs things up with his latest revelation. Most of the time, it leaves a lasting impact. Back in 2023, Smith shared his top five most influential players of all time in the NBA. Not surprisingly, the notable absence of Kobe Bryant from the list caused chaos on social media. Recently, ESPN analyst Matt Barnes called out the veteran analyst for another notable snub from his list.

Allen Iverson is undoubtedly one of the most influential players in the league’s history both on and off the court. “Tuff list to make. But not to have AI on here 🤔 not only did he influence the game but his cultural impact was immeasurably,” Barnes commented on an IG post. Introducing tattoos and iconic hip-hop fashion, he became ‘The Answer’ that challenged many existing notions in the league.

The 6-foot-tall legend revolutionized the game like no other. One comment by ‘Reason’ explained how Iverson had everyone, including his opponents, wanting to emulate his fashion. Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal once stated that he wanted to wear gold jewelry for posters, just like Iverson did.

A comment from an account named, ‘Reason’ shared, “Lol AI had THE ENTITE LEAGUE wanting to dress in something other than suits for the postgame, the braids, the tats, the crossovers, Steph I’m good with of course Jordan, but not having AI and Kobe is INSANE.”

To jog your memory, Smith’s list as usual featured Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson as one and two, while LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Bill Russell occupied the last three spots. Many were unimpressed by the omission of Bryant from the list.

Stephen A. Smith defends his comment 

Even during one of his live shows, a fan demanded an explanation for Bryant’s exclusion. The ESPN analyst believes that the absence of social media during Bryant’s time was one of the factors that hindered his rise. 

However, the 5X NBA champion’s popularity in countries like China presents a strong point against Smith’s claim. Moreover, the analyst also highlighted how the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s career suffered a massive blow due to certain incidents. “He was derailed to some degree because remember his popularity took a hit because of the whole Eagle County Colorado thing in 2003….those kinda things are things that one would agree derail them,” Smith explained.

The point about social media also applies to the Philadelphia 76ers legend Iverson’s case. However, Iverson made a significant cultural impact even without social media. Many believe that Iverson should have been on that list instead of Russell. It seems there could be another debate on the list for 2023 unless the analyst plans to release a fresh list.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.