'ESPN is destroying the NBA': Fans roast Stephen A Smith and Co.’s coverage of the NBA Finals

Stephen A. Smith is part of ESPN’s team that is covering the 2024 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics. He is joined by JJ Redick, Mike Breen and Doris Burke for the play-calling duties while Lisa Salters handles sideline reporting. Malika Andrews hosts the pregame and halftime shows that will also include Michael Wilbon, Bob Myers, Adrian Wojnarowski, Kendrick Perkins and others.

For at least over the past few years, fans have been blasting the network for how they have covered the playoffs, particularly the championship round. Leading into Monday’s Game 5 showdown between the Mavericks and the Celtics, some basketball supporters vented their ire on the network.

“ESPN is destroying the NBA. Their analysts are jealous of the players and cover them begrudgingly. They’d rather show SAS walking thru a tunnel than cover the game. The product is cooked.”

One fan claimed there’s only one reason why this is the situation:

“They don't care lol

“They just want the $$$$”

Another fan kept his focus on the game rather than the analysis or the commentaries:

“I don't watch the pre, halftime, or post game shows ... it's a bunch of nonsensical fluff.”

@PerreAye asserted the reason why the network is receiving all the criticism:

“Way too many ex-players who wanna be the man still”

The discontent with ESPN’s broadcast of the playoffs started even before the NBA Finals. In the Eastern Conference semifinals between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, many thought that the Pacers were relegated to the sidelines. It seemed like the network had a love fest with Knicks faithful.

Leading into Game 7, Stephen A. Smith, an unabashed Knicks supporter, was shown entering Madison Square Garden. Before tip-off, the long-time sports talk show host even brought Spike Lee, another Knicks die-hard fan. Together, they rooted for their team on national TV, exhorting “Orange and blue skies” to happen that day. They were ripped on social media for that display by basketball fans and even by their colleagues.

There isn’t that sort of disparity in the championship series as the Celtics and the Mavericks are two of the marquee teams in the NBA. Still, most of the fans are unhappy with the network's entire presentation of the finals.

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Stephen A. Smith will likely remain a fixture with ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage until at least 2025

As long as ESPN has the right to cover the NBA Finals, count on Stephen A. Smith to be a staple in the coverage. The network’s television deal with the league will expire after the 2024-25 season. At the very least, “SAS” will remain a big part of the championship round next year.

The league is reportedly listening to offers from other companies such as NBC, Apple, Google, Netflix and others. ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery, however, remain in contention for another multi-year, multi-billion deal with the league.

Basketball fans can complain all they want but if ESPN and the NBA agree to a new agreement, Stephen A. Smith isn’t likely going anywhere. As in the case for years, he will dominate TV and radio on everything about basketball in the league.