I don’t think anyone would necessarily characterize Stephen A. Smith as a man who regrets much of anything.
It just doesn’t seem like it’s in his nature. We’ve rarely gotten an apology out of ESPN’s hot take machine, let alone any admission of regret. That’s just not how he ever does it.
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That’s all window dressing, though, if we’re being honest. Smith is human, just like the rest of us. He’s certainly got some things that he wishes he could take back. We all do.
In an extremely real moment with Paul George on the Playoff P podcast, Smith actually revealed one of his. We all know it well. It was the infamous Kwame Brown rant that still resonates all these years later.
Here’s what Stephen A. had to say about that moment in his conversation with George.
"Kwame Brown… I know what I said. I did mean it… But I didn't know it was gonna be like this. Remember, I said it before Twitter, Facebook."
Stephen A. Smith on the one thing in his career that he would do over again
(via @PodcastPShow)pic.twitter.com/3pjIvmXHcz
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 14, 2023
“Kwame Brown, I wish I could do that over. I wouldn’t do it. I know what I said. I did mean it. I ain’t going to sit here and tell you I didn’t mean this [expletive] that I said. But I didn’t know it was going to be like this…I didn’t know 15 years later they were going to have memes and videos. And when I see what he says, I realize how hurt he is.”
Such is the nature of the beast. Stephen A. gets asked a question on the air about the Lakers including Brown in the Pau Gasol and he just goes in for the soundbite. He called Brown a “bonafide scrub” and said he couldn’t play basketball.
All these years later, that video is still a meme. People still play it. And Kwame Brown still seems pretty hurt by it and it’s almost been 20 years since it happened in 2005.
Even back then it felt pretty harsh. Today, it feels even worse. That’s why it’s good to see Smith being honest here and telling us he regrets it. He should. He took things a bit too far.
That probably won’t mend things between he and Brown, but it’s certainly a nice place to start. Hopefully, these two can mend the fence one day.
