Stephen A. Smith Goes Off After Warriors Coach Calls Him Out for Steph Curry Critique: ‘I’m Disgusted With Him’

Ahmad Austin Jr.Dec 15th, 2023, 1:59 pm
 

Stephen A. Smith claimed Warriors coach Steve Kerr “twisted” his words when he called him out for Smith’s critique of guard Stephen Curry.

Earlier this week, Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected for slapping an opposing player in their game against the Phoenix Suns. It was Green’s third ejection of the season, and he’s since been suspended indefinitely due to his history of similar incidents.

On an episode of First Take, Smith appeared to call Curry’s leadership into question for allowing Green’s behavior to be a consistent issue over the years.

“If this were LeBron James, if this was a teammate of LeBron James, we’d be all over LeBron James,” Smith said, asking, “Where’s the leadership?

“I don’t think that we should be holding Steph Curry to lesser standards.”

Though Kerr didn’t mention Smith, he used his post-game press conference Thursday night to address the comments.

“For anybody to question Steph Curry’s leadership is actually kind of sickening,” Kerr said. “And I saw some of that yesterday. It was disgusting. (We’re) talking about one of the finest human beings I have ever been around, but that’s the climate that we live in.

“So, that’s a big part of the job these days as a professional athlete. You have to deal with everything and you have to accept it; but there are times when you kinda have to say, ‘Really?’ Like, that’s the angle you’re gonna take? You’re gonna question Steph Curry’s leadership? Like, really? You’re gonna do that? Think about that.”

Smith took exception to the response.

“Steve Kerr didn’t mention me by name, (but) I’ll mention Steve Kerr by name,” Smith said. “I’m disgusted with him. You see, this is the problem… Steve Kerr, no one is questioning Steph Curry as a leader. What we said was if that were LeBron James, we would have said, ‘Where are you?’ So in this particular instance, we’re not talking about behind the scenes. We’re talking out front and center. We were asking Steph Curry, ‘Where are you on this?’ because you’re such a great leader; because you’re such a phenomenal individual; because you’re the closest thing to perfection that I think most of us have ever seen as a professional athlete.

“But Steve Kerr twisted it. I don’t even wanna use the words that I’m tempted to in terms of him fawning over Steph Curry. We all fawn over Steph Curry. Why would you try to twist it like that.”

After moving the goalposts — since he actually did question Curry’s leadership — Smith then resorted to doing what he usually does when called out for his comments: tout the success of his show.

“My brother, you didn’t say my name but I don’t need clickbait,” Smith said. “We’ve been no. 1 [for] 12 years. With or without YouTube, with or without social media, been no. 1. Period. Number one!”

Watch above via ESPN.

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