Stephen A. Smith has ruffled a lot of feathers in the sports and entertainment worlds, but he apologizes for his brash statements from time to time. Recently, Kyrie Irving was the recipient of Smith's apology for criticizing his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this decade. The commentator's apology follows Dr. Anthony Fauci's refusal to answer questions about his handling of the pandemic before the United States Congress.
Fauci is the subject of an investigation into vaccine mandates, pandemic protocol, the origins of the disease, and more. He invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and denies any wrongdoing. However, this situation has made Stephen A. and many others reevaluate how the U.S. handled COVID. As such, he made an apology to Irving for previous attacks on his self-titled SiriusXM show.
"If I'm wrong, I'll say I'm wrong," Smith remarked, as caught by NBA Hoops on Twitter. "When it comes to Kyrie Irving, I can't apologize strongly enough..."
He walked back his previous compliance with vaccine mandates, indicating many folks were under threat of losing their jobs. Stephen A. apologized for questioning Kyrie's leadership and brought up other superstar athletes who refused the COVID vaccine. He specifically singled the Dallas Maverick out as someone who caught particular heat, including from Smith himself on his many platforms.
Stephen A. Smith's Apology
However, Smith also clarified he isn't accusing COVID of being fake or Fauci of lying, saying there's still a lot unknown about the virus and the pandemic. "We can't engage in condemnation completely, anyway, towards Fauci, a lot of Democrats, a lot of businesses in corporate America and beyond who supported their position... We can't condemn those who were a bit suspicious," he remarked.
The analyst and journalist defended Kyrie as a "conscientious" person who never intended to harm anyone and defended his rights. Smith said COVID almost killed him in 2021 but said "one size never fit all" in this pandemic, apologizing to Irving for not recognizing him for being "brave."
Stephen A. Smith has apologized to Kyrie Irving before for more broad conflicts. Now, this particular disagreement might be moving towards reconciliation.
