"He was right": Stephen A. Smith backtracks and apologizes to Noah Lyles after 'First Take' outburst

Stephen A. Smith was one of many who criticized Noah Lyles for saying the NBA title winners don’t deserve to be called world champions. A few days ago on First Take, the ESPN sports analyst called the star runner’s stance “ignorant.”

The longtime TV personality, however, has done a 180-degree turn after getting “educated” by one of his good friends. On his podcast, Smith had this to say regarding his comments and Lyles’ claims:

(From the 5:02 mark)

“He was right, which is why I apologize to Noah Lyles. My point, I believe, is valid. If you got international players from all over the world coming to the best basketball in the world, I can understand how you could call yourselves world champions.

“But, he [Lyles] got literal with it. From a literal perspective, Boris Kodjoe was right. That makes Noah Lyles right. It made me, at the very least wrong to call his point and perspective ignorant and that is why I apologized on First Take and it is why I’m apologizing now.”

Lyles won the 100m and 200m competitions at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest about a week ago. During one of his interviews, he threw shade at the NBA for calling its title winners world champions when the league is US-based and comprised of mainly American players.

The six-time world champion’s comments quickly created a storm, with the likes of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Aaron Gordon among those who clapped back at him on Twitter.

Stephen A. Smith also called Noah Lyles “ignorant” during the first episode of First Take after the sprinter’s much-publicized comments.

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Stephen A. Smith wanted his viewers and listeners to be educated in the same way he was by Boris Kodjoe

Stephen A. Smith changed his mind because Boris Kodjoe gave him a different perspective on Noah Lyles's comments.

Here’s Smith sharing some of Kodjoe’s points regarding the Lyles controversy:

(2:52 mark)

“My brother, I wanted to shoot you this text ‘cause you might have gotten one wrong today. I don’t believe Noah Lyles meant to discredit any player or their level of play but to draw attention to the uniquely American habit of calling a national contest a world championship.

“World championships are global competitions in which individuals or teams representing their respective countries compete for a world title, ex. FIFA World Cup, FIBA World Cup.

Here is “fact No. 2” of Kodjoe’s text to Stephen A. Smith:

“Los Angeles is a city in the US with a team called the Lakers. It’s not a country and therefore couldn't compete and win world championships but rather capture multiple NBA titles.”

Unlike Smith and Kodjoe, some are still convinced the NBA champs might as well be world champions. It’s an issue that could gain traction once the upcoming season starts.

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