Stephen A. Smith, the host of First Take on ESPN, is currently in the final year of his contract, which ends in July 2025. Smith is seeking a salary closer to $25 million, and negotiations are ongoing. He is currently receiving $18 million annually from ESPN for a five-year period. However, not everyone is in favor of this. On a recent episode of The OG’s show, Smith discussed various NBA-related topics with Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem. Smith mentioned that certain players and analysts have circulated false information about him because they disagreed with some of his previous remarks. Smith believes that his detractors are working hard to hinder his contract negotiations with ESPN.
“I’m gonna tell you something, and I ain’t say it publicly, but I’m gonna say this now. Do you think I haven’t noticed that the steam has elevated since everybody knows my contract is coming up? Do you think I’m that stupid? You think I don’t know what they’re trying to do? What these cats are trying to do is try to bait me so I will do something stupid, so I will get in the way of my dollars. Now, it’s as obvious as the sky is blue on a sunny day in Miami. But here’s the real question: why would you want to do that? Why?” Smith said.
Smith Claims Top Spot on ESPN’s First Take After Years of Hard Work
Smith mentioned that he has worked very hard in his career, putting in 320 days of work each year. The 56-year-old NBA analyst asserted that he has been the number 1 personality on the First Take show for a decade and emphasized that he should be compensated for his hard work.
“I have never worked less than 320 days a year in my career at ESPN or in this business. I show up. I’ve been No. 1 for 12 years in the morning on First Take. In terms of ratings and revenue, I’ve been a number-one talent for a decade. This ain’t about ESPN, and this is about the cats coming at me…I’m talking about the cynics and the critics. As hard as I work, as much as I work, along with the results I provide, if I don’t get paid, who’s getting paid?” Smith added.
Team USA recently replaced Kawhi Leonard with Boston Celtics player Derrick White. Following this, another Celtics player, Jaylen Brown, posted cryptic messages on social media (formerly known as Twitter), tagging Nike and causing confusion among fans. However, Smith didn’t hold back and expressed his opinion on Brown’s posts.
Also Read: “I’m Not Letting You Play”- Stephen A. Smith Has a Bold Take on Kawhi Leonard Playing for Team USA
