Stephen A. Smith ERUPTS at Max Kellerman During Debate Over Giannis: ‘It’s A Damn Shame I Have to Talk Basketball With You’
When LeBron James was making a bid for MVP before getting sidelined by an ankle injury earlier this year, analysts wanted to redeclare him as the undisputed best player in the NBA.
When Kevin Durant appeared on the verge of carrying the Brooklyn Nets into the Eastern Conference Finals last month, analysts were ready to declare him as the undisputed best player in the NBA. And now that Giannis Antetokounmpo persevered through injury, carrying the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA Finals championship in 50 years, analysts are ready to declare him as the undisputed best player in the NBA.
But not ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who said Wednesday, “HELL NO he’s not,” the best player in the league. Smith’s First Take co-host Max Kellerman was less definitive. Kellerman wouldn’t call Giannis the best, but he also wouldn’t say he’s not the best, preferring to put him in the class of Durant and LeBron. Fed up with Kellerman’s vacillating tendencies, Smith erupted Wednesday morning.
“I just think that America needs to know, the only reason I’m having this conversation with you is because I’m obligated to do so for First Take,” Smith told Kellerman. “If you were somebody on the street that brought up the same argument, I’d walk the hell away from you.”
“He’s not on KD’s level, it’s not even there,” Smith said of Giannis. “Giannis is phenomenal, he is great, but he ain’t Kevin Durant. He’s NOT THAT GUY.”
Kellerman acknowledged Durant has more skill than Giannis, but wouldn’t concede that more skill automatically translates to better. “Best means the most effective,” Kellerman explained. “And the most skilled player, is not the most effective if someone else can impose their physical will.”
“So Max Kellerman is on national television, telling people what the definition of best is. It’s really a damn shame I have to talk basketball with you. It really is. It REALLY REALLY IS!” Smith ranted. “I answered the question and then you wanna change it up to mean whatever THE HELL YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!”
“You offered your definition of best,” Kellerman said. “I offered a competing and better definition.”
“Now you’re lying to the American public,” Smith continued as his frustration grew. “Because when it comes to basketball, there’s nothing that you utter out of your mouth that’s remotely even on my level.”
Watch above via, ESPN
