Tuesday’s installment of First Take on ESPN had a special guest. LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul joined hosts Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim. Paul has another Los Angeles Lakers in Anthony Davis on his list of clients besides James. According to his interview on 60 Minutes, Paul has negotiated contracts worth over $4 billion in value. During his recent conversation with Smith, the pair engaged in a lot of good-natured ribbing.
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The conversation began with Qerim stating she had not met Rich Paul before. Then, Stephen A. Smith mentioned Paul was always busy texting other people telling them what to do. Paul replied he would much rather text Qerim to tell her what to do instead of Smith, given he was not the sort to listen.
“Because Carmen loves Rich,” said Rich Paul
Another example of their banter would materialize following Shannon Sharpe’s second question on the show. The former NFL tight end quizzed Rich Paul about the latter’s approach to his biggest client in LeBron James, and the reasoning behind it. Paul responded to that with a comment about how his upbringing and neighborhood taught him accountability.
As he’d pointed out earlier, he believed in telling people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. He admitted he would always listen to those with more life experience.
At that point, Stephen A. Smith quipped, “You listen! I mean, that’s news to me because when it comes to us talking basketball, you don’t listen.” Without skipping a beat, Rich Paul responded, “You’re jealous. You’re jealous. Let me tell you what you’re jealous of. Because Carmen loves Rich. That’s what you’re jealous of.”
Compared to an earlier conversation, the tone was much lighter this time. Regardless, Stephen A. Smith called the reference to his sister a hit below the belt.
A hit below the belt for Stephen A. Smith
Simultaneously, he noted he would treat it like water off a duck’s back. As Smith put it, “Ooh, that’s a low blow. That’s a low blow you just pulled on National Television but I’m going to let it slide. I’m going to let it slide ‘cause I need her to cook something for me tonight and I don’t wanna get on her bad side.” Shannon Sharpe hooted with laughter at the end of that exchange.
Rich Paul came on the show to promote his book ‘Lucky Me: A Memoir of Changing the Odds.’ It details, among other things, how two decades ago Paul met a young LeBron James and how they became friends. Though Stephen A. Smith prefers to keep his personal and professional lives separate, he had his sister, Carmen, join him when his ESPN show “NBA in Stephen A.’s World” debuted.
She is reportedly not a fan of James. Paul took a “potshot” at Smith’s sister, Carmen. Carmen Smith is not a fan of Paul’s biggest client in LeBron James. It is unknown how Smith’s sister views this exchange.
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Edited by
Aakash Nair