"Lowkey a bar", "Star of clowns": Stephen A. Smith's bold take on Knicks draws mixed reactions from NBA fans

Popular ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith was again on the case of his beloved New York Knicks, saying that his star is bigger than most of the players on the current roster of the team.

He shared this during an episode of ESPN’s NBA Countdown ahead of the Knicks’ game against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Smith highlighted that considering the status of New York as the ‘mecca of basketball,’ there were not enough stars in the team to draw people to it.

The First Take host said:

“I am a bigger star than most of the New York Knicks. That’s a damn shame”

Stephen A. Smith’s bold claim drew mixed reactions from NBA fans on social media. Below are some of what they wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

@SleeperNBA wrote: That’s lowkey a bar

@rj_trading1 wrote: The star of clowns

@Dubswrld30 wrote: People boutta hate but He’s right sadly

@blazersforreal wrote: Who does SAS think he is? Respectfully.

@KnicksMuse wrote: He’ll never be happy with the Knicks.

@jayzwrld wrote: I mean he isn’t wrong

@OTownNBA wrote: Crazy that we have to see this team on national tv 100 times a year but actually good exciting teams like Detroit can’t crack one game

@ShawnKrist wrote: Maybe he should play for them. He did score more points in college than LeBron did.

@BrownStallonee wrote: Narcissistic Tendencies

@JaquezJrMuse wrote: This is a weird statement

Stephen A. Smith sees Karl-Anthony Towns fit for the Knicks

As he wishes for the New York Knicks to be the home of NBA superstars, one of the players Stephen A. Smith sees as a fit for the team is three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.

In an episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show back in November, Smith said New York should make a go for Towns, seeing how the Minnesota Timberwolves may not be able to keep him with the emergence of rising stars Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels and with Rudy Gobert also part of the team.

He said:

“The New York Knicks haven’t drafted a superstar since Patrick Ewing in 1985. I look at trade scenarios and let me tell you something right now. The Minnesota Timberwolves, you can’t keep Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert. I think you may have to let go of Karl Anthony Towns.”

“I’d love Karl Anthony Towns in New York. I’d love to see Jalen Brunson pass him the ball. I wish I could see it with him, Julius Randle, and Karl Anthony Towns. You got 11 picks over the next seven years. If I am the New York Knicks, I am getting on a phone with Minnesota.”

While not necessarily impossible, getting Towns at the moment may prove to be difficult for the Knicks since the Timberwolves are playing great basketball with the big man a key part of it.

Currently, Minnesota leads the Western Conference with a record of 24-8. Towns is averaging 21.4 points and 9.2 rebounds in 32.8 minutes in the 31 games.