Suns owner Mat Ishbia shockingly expects apology from Stephen A. Smith for likening him to Donald Sterling in 'worst owner' dig

On Thursday, Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia spoke with members of the press on the heels of what he described as "a disappointing season for the team."

While Ishbia's Suns have been widely criticized amid a season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020, there's one individual who has fielded even more criticism: ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.

The outspoken and often controversial "First Take" host has received criticism on several occasions this season, including from future Hall of Famer LeBron James.

While speaking with members of the press, Ishbia clapped back at Smith for saying that he's on the cusp of becoming the worst owner in the history of basketball.

Although Mat Ishbia said that he believes Smith is merely doing his job, he did state that he's expecting Smith to deliver an apology for putting his name alongside Donald Sterling's.

"I think he'll apologize to me because I think it's disrespectful to put my name aligned with anybody that was kicked out of the league. ... Like I said, he'll apologize. I think he was out of line, and I think he knows that. I don't think he really believes that."

Sterling, of course, was hit with a lifetime ban from the NBA after he was heard on a recorded video making racist remarks.

Looking at two of the biggest changes Mat Ishbia implemented in Phoenix since taking over as owner of Suns

While speaking with members of the press on Thursday, Mat Ishbia took ownership for the Phoenix Suns' struggles over the past two years.

Although he said that a new owner failing to win a title within their first two-and-a-half years isn't out of the ordinary, he spoke candidly about how the Suns came up short.

While Ishbia and the Suns have come up short on the court, he's implemented two big changes that have been a hit with fans in Phoenix.

The first was that Ishbia made sure that local fans can tune in to games for free. Heading into last season, Ishbia walked away from broadcasting negotiations with Bally Sports. Instead, he decided to make games available via local broadcasts across Arizona, while giving away free antennas so fans can tune in.

The move was a groundbreaking one, however, Ishbia wasn't done there.

This season, he implemented a value menu for Suns home games that allowed fans to purchase hot dogs, popcorn, chips and soft drinks for $2 each.

The move was touted as the "most affordable, fan-friendly menu in the NBA," and showed fans that in addition to being committed to fielding a competitive team, Mat Ishbia is committed to Phoenix.