Stephen A. Smith's Greatest Moments Of All Time

When all is said and done, Stephen A. Smith will go down as one of the most entertaining sports media personalities of all-time. The former Philadelphia 76ers beat writer found himself at ESPN in the early 2000s and quickly became a household name while co-hosting First Take with none other than Skip Bayless. Smith and Bayless' chemistry was electrifying from the start and they quickly became fan favorites, even if people didn't agree with a single thing they were saying. Now, Smith is doing First Take with Max Kellerman and while the show doesn't have the same charm it used to, it still provides us with some hilarious moments.

Smith can be fairly aggressive with his opinions but the presentation is always entertaining. Some of his antics will forever live on as iconic sports memes. In fact, Smith's influence runs so deep, there is even a Parody account dedicated to tweeting out some of his funniest clips. From going after Kwame Brown to having complete breakdowns over the New York Knicks, Smith has left us with enough entertainment to last a lifetime.

It's hard to believe there was a time where people were debating whether or not LeBron James would ever win a championship. Back in 2011, LeBron had a complete meltdown in the NBA Finals as his first season with the Miami Heat ended in heartbreak. Before the start of the 2011-2012 season, LeBron jokingly asked an ESPN reporter if he could still be signed as an NFL free agent. Many people took this the wrong way, including Smith who went scorched earth on the superstar. Throughout the rant, Smith urges LeBron to win something before opening his mouth again. While it may not be his funniest rant, it shows Smith at his most passionate. Not to mention, it's one of the few times Skip Bayless agreed with him.

Throughout the 2015-2016 season, there was a huge debate over which team Kevin Durant would sign with during the offseason. Before the 15-16 campaign had even begun, Smith was on First Take saying he had been in contact with KD who was taking his time with the decision. Durant would go on to say that him and his family never spoke to Smith. As you can imagine, Smith wasn't too happy about his credibility being questioned which led to one of the most iconic First Take clips of all-time. Smith essentially tells Durant to tread lightly and to not make an enemy out of him. It was one of the few times a member of the media had gone after a player so explicitly and fans were jarred by it. Eventually, KD and Stephen A. peaced it up but this clip will forever live in infamy for its brazenness. 

Remember Tim Tebow? At one point, he was the most box office player in the NFL albeit for the worst reasons. Tebow wasn't a very good quarterback but his ability to win captured the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere. Stephen A. absolutely despised Tebow but for some reason, Bayless loved him. In the iconic debate above, Bayless and Smith discuss whether or not Kobe Bryant is overpaid. Out of nowhere, Bayless suggests Tebow should be paid $27 million per year because he's the most box office athlete in the United States. Smith was in utter shock over Bayless' comments and eventually had to walk off the set. Perhaps the funniest part of this rant is when Smith stands up so he can scold Bayless while towering over him. Smith's reactionary style is on full display here and you can't do anything but just sit back and laugh.

During the 2019 offseason, the New York Knicks did exactly what the Knicks do: next to nothing. As a lifelong Knicks fan, Smith was incredibly on edge especially since the team missed out on Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Zion Williamson. During this First Take segment, the idea of DeMarcus Cousins going to the Knicks was tossed around. This sent Smith into a full-on tailspin of emotions as he began shaking his fists and yelling "no" repeatedly, much to the delight of Will Cain. Once again, Smith shows just how entertaining he is, all while ripping on the New York Knicks. If you ever see Stephen A. Smith and the Knicks in a title of a First Take video, we highly suggest that you watch it.

What more can be said about this one? Lavar Ball came into this interview making all sorts of bold claims about his kids. From thinking Lonzo was the next Magic Johnson to saying he could beat Michael Jordan 1-on-1, Lavar was quick with the antics. Luckily, he was going up against a man with an equally vibrant personality. Throughout the clip, Smith and Ball trade jabs as the two get louder and louder with each other. Smith came through with a hilarious line as he tells the Ball family patriarch "ain't nobody thinking about damn Lavar." If you need a good laugh, this video always seems to work. Lavar has been to the First Take studios on multiple occasions but this specific encounter will always be remembered as the best one.

Before LeBron James could even win a single championship, there were people saying he was a better player than Michael Jordan. Surprisingly, one of those people was MJ's own teammate, Scottie Pippen. Of course, Smith took exception to this and unleashed an epic rant upon Pippen. Smith starts out the clip calling Pippen's comments "blasphemous." For those who watch a lot of Stephen A., you know just how much he loves to use that particular word. He then goes on to say Pippen should be banned from the city of Chicago for an entire day and that Jordan would be ashamed by those comments. He even told a story in which MJ called out Stephen A. for saying LeBron was the best 20-year-old he ever saw. This moment is jam-packed with personal anecdotes, big words, and hilarious jabs. Overall, it's some of Stephen A.'s finest work.

What more can we say other than "stay off the damn weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeduh." 

Ever since Kwame Brown was drafted with the first overall pick in the NBA draft, Stephen A. has been critical of him. While Brown doesn't play in the NBA anymore, every now and then Smith finds some time to shade the man. Back in the late 2000s, the Lakers parted ways with Brown and landed Pau Gasol who went on to become a two-time champion with the Lakers. When asked if the Lakers gave up too much, Smith replied with "is that a trick question?" He then goes on to give us his best rant to date. From calling Brown a "bonafide scrub" to disrespecting the man's small hands, Smith lays it all out there. If you were to watch a Stephen A. meme compilation, there is a 100 percent chance you would be graced by this clip.

JaMarcus Russell will most likely go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. He was picked first overall by the Oakland Raiders and never really amounted to anything. He had a lack of motivation, never watched game film, and played horribly out on the field. Eventually, Russell found himself out of the league despite his desire for a second chance. When asked if Russell should get signed, Smith went off calling the quarterback a fat slob who was lazy and good for nothing. The rant seemingly came out of nowhere and its brashness will have you trying to hold in excessive amounts of laughter. In fact, Bayless was so shocked by Smith's remarks that all he could say in response was "well that's a little strong," his mouth agape. 

Phil Jackson won't be remembered favorably amongst New York Knicks fans. The championship-winning head coach is a legend of the game but as an executive, he made some pretty awful moves. Of course, one of these moves was signing Lamar Odom at the height of his drug problems. During a segment on the possibility of a Kristaps Porzingis trade, Smith went nuclear on Jackson and eventually gave us perhaps his best one-liner of all-time. Speaking with Kellerman, Smith said Jackson's first move was "to sign Lamar Odom, who was on crack." Smith's delivery of the line had Kellerman smiling from ear-to-ear as he began trying to process what Stephen A. had just said. The clip immediately went viral and is one of the most memorable moments in First Take history. If you're a Knicks fan, this clip definitely resonated with you.

Which Stephen A. Smith moments are your favorite? Let us know in the comments, below.