Stephen A. Smith is known for his work with ESPN. However, he recently sparked a reaction online after making a few comments while on the air. This included reactions from a sports influencer and a former NFL wide receiver.
Stephen A. Smith Recently Sparked Reactions During An Episode Of First Take.
Smith, also known as “Stephen A.,” is a sports analyst and television personality known for his work on ESPN. He is known for his appearances on First Take, SportsCenter, and NBA Countdown.
Smith also serves as an analyst for the network’s NBA broadcasts. He also hosts The Stephen A. Smith Show on ESPN Radio.
During a recent episode of First Take, Smith spoke with Chiney Ogwumike. Having played for the Los Angeles Sparks, Ogwumike is also known for her work as a basketball analyst for ESPN.
At one point in the episode, Chiney Ogwumike spoke a bit of French as she praised NBA player Rudy Gobert for his “magnifique” performance. During the conversation, Smith interrupted her to say that her French “did me proud.”
Smith then shared, “I’m living a good life, I’m pretty damn happy to say the least, but I must admit, in all my years on this earth, I’ve never dated a woman from France or anything like that. But after hearing Chiney, I was like, ‘What have I been missing?’ That verbiage right there, that kinda turned me on.”
For her part, Ogwumike appeared to brush off Smith’s comments, calling him “crazy” and having a laugh. However, other people criticized the interaction on social media as inappropriate.
Smith Previously Came Under Fire For Making Comments On The Air Back In 2003
Sports influencer Coach Jackie J, in particular, took to Instagram to criticize the scene. As the influencer wrote, “Stephen A. Smith needs to face consequences for that. I think he should be fired.”
“I’ll lead that charge, fire Stephen A. Smith. You should have done it years ago, but you should do it now because of this.”
“I’ve never dated a woman from France, but after hearing Chiney (speak French), I was like, what have I been missing? That verbiage right there, that kinda turned me on” – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/El3FBGFaTD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 24, 2026
In the comments, many figures appeared to agree with Coach Jackie J’s take. This even included former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens, who wrote, “Guarantee, he’ll make an apology, and nothing will be done about it. It’ll be all good.”
As noted by People, Smith previously came under fire in 2003 after making an inappropriate joke about sports journalist Molly Qerim’s phone ringing on the show. After saying the phone was vibrating, according to Outkick, he then asked if it was okay to use the word “vibrating” on the air.
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.