October 25, 2024 • 14 mins
Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Celtics opened the season getting their rings and raising their
championship ban, a ban of number eighteen, by the way.
They then proceeded to obliterate and beat the living shit
out of My New York Knicks one thirty two to
one oh nine. Boston shot the lights out against the
next time an NBA record with twenty nine three points
made in the game. Shot about sixty four percent of
their shots are from three. The Celtics were led by
(00:25):
their two superstars and Jason Tatum, who dropped thirty seven,
and of course Jalen Brown, who dropped twenty three. I
think Jason Tatum dropped about eleven or fourteen from the field,
eight of eleven from three point range. He's actually my
pick to be at League MVP. This ship earlier this week, though,
is the subject that I need to get to because
I got a chance to sit down with Jaylen Brown
to discuss a number of topics, including his own mission
(00:46):
from the Olympic team and sources telling me he's an
unmarketable player. Obviously, this was a subject that was resonating
throughout the playoffs, and Jalen Brown and I finally had
that face to face sit down where he got an
opportunity to get a couple of things off of his chest.
Listen to what he had to say to me face
to face. You already saw it the other day, but
(01:08):
before I respond, listen to what he had to say again, I.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Wore his shirt. But I honestly, I know, just because
of your credentials, that you're never gonna reveal sources because
you were bib by something called journalistic integrity. But hear
me out a couple months back on your platform, you
recited an unnamed source who I feel like attack my character. One,
(01:35):
I didn't really get a chance to defend myself in two.
You know, the damage kind of already has done. And
I think journalistic integrity goes two ways, yes, sir, So
for me, I think a lot of people were upset,
and as was I because I understand journalistic integrity and
I understand how that works. But I also understand the
(01:59):
idea of normal integrity as well, and I also want
to maintain and protect that. Sure, but honestly, I couldn't
wait to address this unnamed source right. I know they
probably will be watching this because people like that are
always watching, and I basically he wanted to say to
them that I think it's cowardice. I think historically unnamed
(02:22):
sources have attacked some of our greats, and I slash
we are not responsible for what they lack and design. Frankly,
they can call all their buddies, they they pals and
you know, friends from all over the world, all the
unnamed sources, and they can shove it where they got
(02:44):
it from, whether they think they I'm marketable or not.
I walk with God. I'm gonna be me and staying
with my community in this life and the next, and
that's my journalistic integrity.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Before I respond to that, I wanted to play you
guys a clip of Gil's Arena, Gilbert Arenas's podcast. I
mean he's on there with Rashard mkantz and four MANBA
players with mckints, Ke Martin and others. And before I responded,
they obviously had something to say and were obviously somewhat
(03:22):
critical in regards to what Jalen Brown was alluding to.
Let's hear what they had to say before I comment.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Like, when you break down their job, the woes and
all of them, what do they rely on? All their
information about the sport has to come from somebody else
because they've never done it right. So if someone like
Woes tells you who's giving him the information, that means
(03:51):
he's not fucking important anymore because you're not soring, you're
a vessel for information. You're a preacher, not god.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Wow, wow, that was Gilas. Listen first of all for
those out there, because the headline was like Gilbert Arenas
rips in the stephen A Smith or whatever. First things first.
You know, in the age of clickbaiting stuff like that,
(04:25):
headlines can be very, very deceiving, and we know people
who are usually devoid of content and they try to
use headlines in order to gain an audience. It's amateur night.
The levels to this and folks who use headlines to
get clips as opposed to the actual content. You lead
(04:48):
a lot to be desired instead of coming at me.
You need to take lessons. I'm not talking, however, about
Gilbert Arenas and his podcast. I'm only talking about those
of you there. The reason I bring that up is
I found nothing offensive about what Gilbert Arena said. Zero.
Gilbert Arenas and I talk all the time. Got number
(05:11):
of love for the brother even when he disagrees. And
by the way, I'm looking forward to going on this
podcast in the future because you don't rush out. McCants
has had a few things to say about me. I'm
down for it. Ain't nobody hiding ken You Martin may
disagree with me. I can't wait to have a discussion
(05:35):
with them. We want to talk basketball. Let's talk basketball.
But this is my lane. When you talk about journalism,
this is not open for debate. You don't get information
if you can't use sourced material. Now, Gilbert Arenas can
(05:56):
lament that. Rashad mcants and Kenyan Mare and the rest
of the crew, they can lament that every podcast, to
every report, and all of y'all can all lamit it.
Get the hell over it. It doesn't happen. You do
not acquire information if everybody that you get the information
from has to come on camera, on the microphone, on
(06:19):
audio and reveal who they are and give their opinions.
Nine times out of ten, somebody nobody is going to
tell you a damn thing. How do we know this?
Do you watch politics? Do you watch them covering the
financial sector in Wall Street?
Speaker 3 (06:39):
How about Hollywood?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
And of course sports? I couldn't shine y'all damn shoes.
As a basketball player, y'all are all former NBA players,
Gilbert and the whole crew.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Y'all baled.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
I'm lying, y'all. Ain't never talk to nobody off the record.
I'm looking at y'all. I mean, I'm talking to everybody
that thinks like that. But I'm just directing you directed.
You ain't never done that ever.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Ever.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
You never said to a single soul. Yo, bro off
the record, YO, bro between me and you, YO, don't
quote me on this. That ain't never happened.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Never.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
It ain't happened in the locker room with players. It
ain't happen with the coach when he's talking to the media.
It ain't happen with the front office, it ain't happen
with owners. Shit like this happens all the time in
every single profession. I'm not saying, I'm not saying you
wrong to complain about it. Just know you whistling into
(08:02):
the wind. It took place long before Steven A. Smith
came along, and it's gonna be here long after I'm gone.
That's a fact. So Jalen Brown coming out and complaining
about the source, he has every right to. It was
talking about him. But that doesn't negate the fact that
(08:26):
the source, while not being critical of him, person meaning
the source felt that way along with the three people
who called me afterwards to confirm that what the source
was saying in their eyes was true, even though it
might have been negative about Jaylen Brown. I'm gonna repeat,
they were not personally being negative about Jaylen Brown. So
(08:47):
let's paint this picture. Gil, Let's paint this picture, McCants.
Let's paint this picture Gil's arena. Y'all doing the hell
of a job. By the way, let me get that
out the way, love y'all, But let's get to sit
out the way. Let's let's talk about it. Jalen Brown
(09:09):
is a brilliant brother who is a former Conference Finals MVP,
lashes Conference Finals MVP, NBA Finals MVP, a champion who
has averaged at least twenty three points game over the
last three years. There's no sneaker deal, there's no abundance
(09:40):
of endorsements that have come his way, and most importantly,
his teammate who he helped and some would say he outplayed,
in Jason Tatum, who I also love, is the one
with all the endorsements. Why is that? Why are y'all
(10:05):
not talking about that how this highly intelligent, principled, unwavering,
great basketball player and champion doesn't have Madison Avenue kicking
down his door with endorsements. Why is that, then, he says,
icons the Bill Russell's of the world, the Muhammad Ali's
(10:28):
of the world. What happened with them? They celebrated Bill
Russell more so when he retired than when he was playing.
They didn't start celebrating Muhammad Ali until he came down
with Parkinson's and his health was compromised and he couldn't
really speak up and out for himself and against the
(10:48):
system the way that he was when he was fighting
and he was an instrumental activist and civic figure. They
didn't celebrate him in he was a pariah. They want
to go after them. Times are different. Jalen Brown's got
(11:10):
a different personality, but his core beliefs, his principles, the
manhood upon which he stands, This principled, authentic, beautiful brother
of ours, he's not being celebrated. And we're surprised. You
(11:33):
ain't surprised, Gil, y'all ain't surprised. None of us are surprised.
Because when you're black, and you're a black man and
you're outspoken and you stand on yours and you're highly successful,
and you're not one that's easily capitulating and what have you.
Lots of times the role, it's harder for you. That's
(11:56):
what the source was telling me. That's what they were
talking about when they said he wasn't late. They didn't
say by his teammates. They didn't say by his organization,
they didn't say by his contemporaries. They said, and we're
alluding to the system. Y'all. Don't get that. That's hard
(12:17):
to understand. You know better, Listen to Gilbert Arenas talk basketball.
It's beautiful to listen to the brother knows what he's
talking about. Listen to him talk about life, and you
embrace his intellect. Listen to the rest of y'all. And
(12:40):
when you get your emotions out of the way and
you just talk bear bo facts, y'all pretty damn brilliant.
Y'all selves, stop the shit. Come on, y'all, we know,
we all know what they were saying about Jalen Brown.
And if you go back and you watch my interview
right on the Stephen A. Smith Show this past Monday,
(13:03):
it's been air and over the last couple of days
you will see Jaylen Brown confirm exactly what the hell
I said.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Yo.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
They might feel about me, but I ain't changing. I
staying with God. He didn't say they were wrong about
what they were saying. He was saying they were wrong
to feel that way, whoever they may be. But the
source wasn't the one saying he felt that way. The
source was saying, and the three people who called me
afterwards were saying, Yo, the sources right about what they
(13:36):
think about Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
That's the truth.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
We don't run from this shit here on the Steven A.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Smith Show.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
We ain't doing that. Love you, Gil, appreciate the text, Bro,
appreciate the brilliants. Appreciate the success of your podcast. Keep
doing what you're doing. And I don't mind disagreeing at all.
I took no offense whatsoever to what Gilbert Arenas has
had to say.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Zero.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I get what his point is. He has his, I
have mine. Rashad McCants, Yeah, we'll talk, Bro. I can't wait.
I can't wait for that conversation. I can't wait. I
got a busy schedule, but I swear the second I
get an invite, the second I have time. Oh, we
(14:30):
gonna have those conversations. You want real talk. Gil's Arena
ain't the only place to get it. It's always been
right here too. Ain't going nowhere. I can't wait, I
can't wait.
Celtics opened the season getting their rings and raising their
championship ban, a ban of number eighteen, by the way.
They then proceeded to obliterate and beat the living shit
out of My New York Knicks one thirty two to
one oh nine. Boston shot the lights out against the
next time an NBA record with twenty nine three points
made in the game. Shot about sixty four percent of
their shots are from three. The Celtics were led by
(00:25):
their two superstars and Jason Tatum, who dropped thirty seven,
and of course Jalen Brown, who dropped twenty three. I
think Jason Tatum dropped about eleven or fourteen from the field,
eight of eleven from three point range. He's actually my
pick to be at League MVP. This ship earlier this week, though,
is the subject that I need to get to because
I got a chance to sit down with Jaylen Brown
to discuss a number of topics, including his own mission
(00:46):
from the Olympic team and sources telling me he's an
unmarketable player. Obviously, this was a subject that was resonating
throughout the playoffs, and Jalen Brown and I finally had
that face to face sit down where he got an
opportunity to get a couple of things off of his chest.
Listen to what he had to say to me face
to face. You already saw it the other day, but
(01:08):
before I respond, listen to what he had to say again, I.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Wore his shirt. But I honestly, I know, just because
of your credentials, that you're never gonna reveal sources because
you were bib by something called journalistic integrity. But hear
me out a couple months back on your platform, you
recited an unnamed source who I feel like attack my character. One,
(01:35):
I didn't really get a chance to defend myself in two.
You know, the damage kind of already has done. And
I think journalistic integrity goes two ways, yes, sir, So
for me, I think a lot of people were upset,
and as was I because I understand journalistic integrity and
I understand how that works. But I also understand the
(01:59):
idea of normal integrity as well, and I also want
to maintain and protect that. Sure, but honestly, I couldn't
wait to address this unnamed source right. I know they
probably will be watching this because people like that are
always watching, and I basically he wanted to say to
them that I think it's cowardice. I think historically unnamed
(02:22):
sources have attacked some of our greats, and I slash
we are not responsible for what they lack and design. Frankly,
they can call all their buddies, they they pals and
you know, friends from all over the world, all the
unnamed sources, and they can shove it where they got
(02:44):
it from, whether they think they I'm marketable or not.
I walk with God. I'm gonna be me and staying
with my community in this life and the next, and
that's my journalistic integrity.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Before I respond to that, I wanted to play you
guys a clip of Gil's Arena, Gilbert Arenas's podcast. I
mean he's on there with Rashard mkantz and four MANBA
players with mckints, Ke Martin and others. And before I responded,
they obviously had something to say and were obviously somewhat
(03:22):
critical in regards to what Jalen Brown was alluding to.
Let's hear what they had to say before I comment.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Like, when you break down their job, the woes and
all of them, what do they rely on? All their
information about the sport has to come from somebody else
because they've never done it right. So if someone like
Woes tells you who's giving him the information, that means
(03:51):
he's not fucking important anymore because you're not soring, you're
a vessel for information. You're a preacher, not god.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Wow, wow, that was Gilas. Listen first of all for
those out there, because the headline was like Gilbert Arenas
rips in the stephen A Smith or whatever. First things first.
You know, in the age of clickbaiting stuff like that,
(04:25):
headlines can be very, very deceiving, and we know people
who are usually devoid of content and they try to
use headlines in order to gain an audience. It's amateur night.
The levels to this and folks who use headlines to
get clips as opposed to the actual content. You lead
(04:48):
a lot to be desired instead of coming at me.
You need to take lessons. I'm not talking, however, about
Gilbert Arenas and his podcast. I'm only talking about those
of you there. The reason I bring that up is
I found nothing offensive about what Gilbert Arena said. Zero.
Gilbert Arenas and I talk all the time. Got number
(05:11):
of love for the brother even when he disagrees. And
by the way, I'm looking forward to going on this
podcast in the future because you don't rush out. McCants
has had a few things to say about me. I'm
down for it. Ain't nobody hiding ken You Martin may
disagree with me. I can't wait to have a discussion
(05:35):
with them. We want to talk basketball. Let's talk basketball.
But this is my lane. When you talk about journalism,
this is not open for debate. You don't get information
if you can't use sourced material. Now, Gilbert Arenas can
(05:56):
lament that. Rashad mcants and Kenyan Mare and the rest
of the crew, they can lament that every podcast, to
every report, and all of y'all can all lamit it.
Get the hell over it. It doesn't happen. You do
not acquire information if everybody that you get the information
from has to come on camera, on the microphone, on
(06:19):
audio and reveal who they are and give their opinions.
Nine times out of ten, somebody nobody is going to
tell you a damn thing. How do we know this?
Do you watch politics? Do you watch them covering the
financial sector in Wall Street?
Speaker 3 (06:39):
How about Hollywood?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
And of course sports? I couldn't shine y'all damn shoes.
As a basketball player, y'all are all former NBA players,
Gilbert and the whole crew.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Y'all baled.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
I'm lying, y'all. Ain't never talk to nobody off the record.
I'm looking at y'all. I mean, I'm talking to everybody
that thinks like that. But I'm just directing you directed.
You ain't never done that ever.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Ever.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
You never said to a single soul. Yo, bro off
the record, YO, bro between me and you, YO, don't
quote me on this. That ain't never happened.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Never.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
It ain't happened in the locker room with players. It
ain't happen with the coach when he's talking to the media.
It ain't happen with the front office, it ain't happen
with owners. Shit like this happens all the time in
every single profession. I'm not saying, I'm not saying you
wrong to complain about it. Just know you whistling into
(08:02):
the wind. It took place long before Steven A. Smith
came along, and it's gonna be here long after I'm gone.
That's a fact. So Jalen Brown coming out and complaining
about the source, he has every right to. It was
talking about him. But that doesn't negate the fact that
(08:26):
the source, while not being critical of him, person meaning
the source felt that way along with the three people
who called me afterwards to confirm that what the source
was saying in their eyes was true, even though it
might have been negative about Jaylen Brown. I'm gonna repeat,
they were not personally being negative about Jaylen Brown. So
(08:47):
let's paint this picture. Gil, Let's paint this picture, McCants.
Let's paint this picture Gil's arena. Y'all doing the hell
of a job. By the way, let me get that
out the way, love y'all, But let's get to sit
out the way. Let's let's talk about it. Jalen Brown
(09:09):
is a brilliant brother who is a former Conference Finals MVP,
lashes Conference Finals MVP, NBA Finals MVP, a champion who
has averaged at least twenty three points game over the
last three years. There's no sneaker deal, there's no abundance
(09:40):
of endorsements that have come his way, and most importantly,
his teammate who he helped and some would say he outplayed,
in Jason Tatum, who I also love, is the one
with all the endorsements. Why is that? Why are y'all
(10:05):
not talking about that how this highly intelligent, principled, unwavering,
great basketball player and champion doesn't have Madison Avenue kicking
down his door with endorsements. Why is that, then, he says,
icons the Bill Russell's of the world, the Muhammad Ali's
(10:28):
of the world. What happened with them? They celebrated Bill
Russell more so when he retired than when he was playing.
They didn't start celebrating Muhammad Ali until he came down
with Parkinson's and his health was compromised and he couldn't
really speak up and out for himself and against the
(10:48):
system the way that he was when he was fighting
and he was an instrumental activist and civic figure. They
didn't celebrate him in he was a pariah. They want
to go after them. Times are different. Jalen Brown's got
(11:10):
a different personality, but his core beliefs, his principles, the
manhood upon which he stands, This principled, authentic, beautiful brother
of ours, he's not being celebrated. And we're surprised. You
(11:33):
ain't surprised, Gil, y'all ain't surprised. None of us are surprised.
Because when you're black, and you're a black man and
you're outspoken and you stand on yours and you're highly successful,
and you're not one that's easily capitulating and what have you.
Lots of times the role, it's harder for you. That's
(11:56):
what the source was telling me. That's what they were
talking about when they said he wasn't late. They didn't
say by his teammates. They didn't say by his organization,
they didn't say by his contemporaries. They said, and we're
alluding to the system. Y'all. Don't get that. That's hard
(12:17):
to understand. You know better, Listen to Gilbert Arenas talk basketball.
It's beautiful to listen to the brother knows what he's
talking about. Listen to him talk about life, and you
embrace his intellect. Listen to the rest of y'all. And
(12:40):
when you get your emotions out of the way and
you just talk bear bo facts, y'all pretty damn brilliant.
Y'all selves, stop the shit. Come on, y'all, we know,
we all know what they were saying about Jalen Brown.
And if you go back and you watch my interview
right on the Stephen A. Smith Show this past Monday,
(13:03):
it's been air and over the last couple of days
you will see Jaylen Brown confirm exactly what the hell
I said.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Yo.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
They might feel about me, but I ain't changing. I
staying with God. He didn't say they were wrong about
what they were saying. He was saying they were wrong
to feel that way, whoever they may be. But the
source wasn't the one saying he felt that way. The
source was saying, and the three people who called me
afterwards were saying, Yo, the sources right about what they
(13:36):
think about Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
That's the truth.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
We don't run from this shit here on the Steven A.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Smith Show.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
We ain't doing that. Love you, Gil, appreciate the text, Bro,
appreciate the brilliants. Appreciate the success of your podcast. Keep
doing what you're doing. And I don't mind disagreeing at all.
I took no offense whatsoever to what Gilbert Arenas has
had to say.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Zero.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I get what his point is. He has his, I
have mine. Rashad McCants, Yeah, we'll talk, Bro. I can't wait.
I can't wait for that conversation. I can't wait. I
got a busy schedule, but I swear the second I
get an invite, the second I have time. Oh, we
(14:30):
gonna have those conversations. You want real talk. Gil's Arena
ain't the only place to get it. It's always been
right here too. Ain't going nowhere. I can't wait, I
can't wait.
Host
Stephen A. Smith
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