Stephen A. Smith Questions Lakers’ Title Chances Over Race
Smith pointed to Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, who lead the 10-2 Los Angeles Lakers in win shares, an advanced measure that estimates players’ contributions to team success. He said he had not seen an NBA champion led by three white players and did not expect the Lakers to break that pattern this season.
Smith also cited injuries to the Oklahoma City Thunder and early struggles by the Denver Nuggets before returning to the Lakers’ roster makeup. He said he was discussing what he viewed as the practical realities of basketball and stood by his assessment.
His comments drew criticism on social media, where users called them racist and one account urged ESPN to sever ties with him. Some responses cited the 1958 St. Louis Hawks, whose top players included Bob Pettit, Slater Martin and Cliff Hagan. Smith, born in 1967, had framed his claim around what he had seen in his lifetime.
Smith said he was rooting for Los Angeles to win, arguing a championship would benefit the NBA, the sport, Los Angeles and the 2028 Summer Olympics in the city. Still, he said he could not envision a team with three white leading players winning the title.
Smith’s Lakers Claim Turns Race Into a Test of Basketball’s Assumptions
Stephen A. Smith made race central to his prediction about the 10-2 Lakers, saying on his SiriusXM show that he could not see a team led by three white players winning an NBA championship. His argument focused on Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, the team’s leaders in win shares.
Smith said he was describing basketball’s realities, but his sweeping claim prompted social media users to accuse him of racism. The dispute underscores the stakes of treating a players’ race as a basis for judging a team’s prospects. One account called on ESPN to cut ties with Smith.
Some commenters pointed to the 1958 St. Louis Hawks, whose leading players included Bob Pettit, Slater Martin and Cliff Hagan. Smith, born in 1967, had limited his claim to what he had seen in his lifetime.
He said he wanted the Lakers to win and that a title would be good for the NBA, Los Angeles and the 2028 Summer Olympics there. But he continued to predict they would fall short, citing their top players’ race.
Smith Faces Racism Claims After Lakers Prediction Sparks Backlash
Stephen A. Smith is facing accusations of racism after saying on his SiriusXM show that he could not see an NBA champion led by three white players. His prediction targeted the 10-2 Lakers, whose win-share leaders are Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler.
Critics on social media called Smith’s remarks racist, and one account demanded ESPN end its relationship with him. The backlash came after Smith presented race as a reason to dismiss Los Angeles’ title chances, despite saying a Lakers championship would benefit the league, the city and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
There are historical counterexamples to the broad claim: the 1958 St. Louis Hawks featured Bob Pettit, Slater Martin and Cliff Hagan among their leading players. Smith, born in 1967, framed his statement around his own lifetime.
Smith said he was talking about the facts and stood by his view. His critics’ demand for ESPN to cut ties reflects a response that goes beyond debating whether the Lakers can win: it seeks consequences for a controversial sports prediction.
Reported by Daily Mail US, Fox News.
