Stephen A. Smith has never been one to shy away from controversy, but this time the ESPN host is in hot water for something even he didn’t try to spin on air – until social media forced his hand.
During Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, eagle-eyed fans caught Smith doing something no one expected from a supposed basketball authority: playing Solitaire.
While the Thunder mounted a stunning 111-104 comeback win to tie the series at 2-2, fans spotted Smith tapping away on his phone, visibly distracted from the game unfolding in front of him.
A photo – and later a video – surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) showing Smith fully engaged in the card game during live play.
Fans call out Smith’s courtside conduct
As soon as the clip went viral, criticism erupted across social media. Some questioned why Smith was even attending the Finals if he wasn’t going to watch.
“Why is he even there if he’s going to play Solitaire?” one user asked. Another posted, “This is supposed to be a credible journalist btw.”
From sportswriters to casual fans, the consensus was clear: Smith’s behavior was, at best, unprofessional and, at worst, dishonest.
One sportswriter labeled him a “fraud,” while another said it was a “disgrace” to the craft of sports journalism.
In response to the backlash, Smith posted a message to X attempting to brush off the situation: “Yep! That’s me. Who would’ve thought….I can multi-task. Especially during TIMEOUTS,” he wrote.
However, the damage had already been done-and Smith’s explanation was quickly undercut by a fact-check.
X’s community notes call bluff
Soon after his post, X added a “community note” underneath it that read: “Stephen A. is lying. This photo was taken during gameplay, NOT during a timeout.”
The added context poured gasoline on an already-raging firestorm. Viewers who once defended Smith were left reconsidering, while critics doubled down.
The clip of him glued to his screen as the Finals played out in front of him has since racked up millions of views.
With Game 5 set for Monday in Oklahoma City, Smith is expected to be courtside once again.
Whether he’ll be more engaged this time – or whether fans will catch him playing Wordle instead – remains to be seen.
As one fan wryly put it: “Stephen A. went from First Take to first card.”
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