“Stop being mad at my words, pay attention to what I’m saying” - Stephen A. Smith claims he uses his criticism as a way to put some sense into athletes

Stephen A. Smith is among the most popular, outspoken and charismatic modern-day sports analysts. He’s either loved or hated for usually never mincing his words while speaking about any athlete on national TV.

Sometimes, athletes and fans see his criticisms as going out of bounds. A few NBA players over the last few years have been the subject of his scathing remarks. The ESPN analyst, however, revealed his thoughts behind these often nasty diatribes:

“There is not a single athlete who can ever approach me that says they looked at me and I wished for them to fail. … And if I see cats getting in their own way, it affects me.

“Because I’m like, ‘You know the game, you know the system, you know how it’s gonna come at you, you know where the minefields are, you know what the pitfalls are, you know what’s going down, maneuver your way around this. Don’t let them get you!’

“Pay attention! Stop being mad at my words, pay attention to what I’m saying ‘cause I’m looking out. I’m not gonna be in a position where I can look out if you let this go any further.”

At times, what Stephen A. Smith has said on national TV has received strong pushback from superstars such as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He has had several back-and-forths with both NBA All-Stars over the last few months.

Ben Simmons stayed mum after getting ripped by Smith earlier this year but was defended by actor Jamie Foxx. The ESPN analyst and one of the entertainment world’s most riveting talents are good friends, but that didn’t stop Foxx from calling out Smith.

When asked on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, why he wouldn’t just call the people he has been criticizing, Stephen A. Smith answered:

“Sometimes, I do! I don’t have everybody['s] number!”

He also added that some of the guys that he would have to criticize wouldn’t even respond to his attempts to communicate.

---

Stephen A. Smith is willing to offer advice to any athlete who will be willing to listen to him

Stephen A. Smith is in the business of diving into sports issues that the public craves. Whether it’s football, baseball, basketball, boxing or even the Oscars, he’s consistently on top of the situation.

He makes athletes accountable, but would also be more than willing to help them get over certain issues:

“When I see cats that ain’t doing that, it drives me nuts! Cause I’m like, ‘You worked all your life to be in this position, to avoid falling down that pitfall and you let it happen anyway.

“Why you doing that?... I’m in a position where I can tell it to them… You can pull me to the side off the record and I’m happy to give you advice.”

However, no one’s expecting Durant, Irving and Simmons to go to Stephen A. Smith for dialog.