Stephen A. Smith Gets Brutally Honest With Ja Morant

BYAlexander Cole1.8K Views
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The Semafor Media Summit
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Stephen A. Smith speaks on stage during the Semafor Media Summit on April 10, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Semafor)
Stephen A. did not hold back.

Stephen A. Smith has never minced words in his entire life. Overall, he has no issues with letting a player know when they have messed up. Moreover, he will do it in a way that isn't exactly kind or comforting. Simply put, Smith goes for the most entertaining option, without hesitation. Although some do not like this style, others absolutely love it. After all, Smith is the biggest personality at ESPN. He is keeping the lights on over there, and the network is appreciative of that. No matter what, he will always get ratings.

Of course, today was a big day for First Take and Stephen A. Overall, it was the first show back since Ja Morant got caught with a gun again on Instagram live. Subsequently, Morant has been indefinitely suspended from the team. Moreover, it remains to be seen how long this suspension will last. It could end up just being a few games, or it could be for almost half of a season. Regardless, this is a terrible look for Morant, who has already had these kinds of issues in the past.

Stephen A. Reacts

On today's episode of First Take, Smith was very adamant about Morant and his behavior. Ultimately, he finds it extremely shortsighted that Ja keeps doing this. Furthermore, he thinks that the Grizzlies star has completely tainted his reputation with these kinds of antics. "Ja Morant has been associated with guns more than he's been associated with winning," Stephen A. said bluntly. While this might be a brutally honest assessment, it is one that some believe Ja needs to hear. At the end of the day, if he keeps this stuff up, he could lose his career in the NBA.

No one knows what is going to happen next, however, whatever it is won't be very good for Ja. He has gotten a second chance, and it has already been squandered. The Grizzlies and Adam Silver will not take that very lightly. Let us know what you think of all this, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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