Stephen A. Smith looking on.Stephen A. Smith (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Basketball fans had all sorts of priceless responses to a false rumor about Stephen A. Smith possibly interviewing for the New York Knicks’ head coaching vacancy.

In a stunning move, the Knicks announced on Tuesday afternoon that they have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau, even though they just reached the conference finals for the first time in 25 years.

The two-time Coach of the Year revived the long-suffering Knicks franchise and led them to four playoff berths in five years on the job. That included three straight runs to the elite eight, and a surprise appearance in the conference finals this year, where they fell to the Indiana Pacers in six games.

After Thibodeau’s firing, a fake rumor made the rounds that the organization would interview ESPN personality and Knicks superfan Stephen A. Smith for the HC vacancy. The rumor was shared by the satirical NBA Centel X/Twitter account:

This is obviously fake news, but it didn’t stop basketball fans from sharing all sorts of priceless responses:

“Bro’s gonna be an ESPN show host, NBA Coach and be USA President in 2028 😭😭😭 If you told me this 5 years ago I woulda never believed you 🤣,” one fan said.

“a team coached by Stephen A. Smith would go 0-82,” said a user.

“If this joint actually is true bra 😂,” wrote a fan.

“This would be a great idea if we have draft picks so we can easily get the 1st overall pick,” another said.

“Knowing the Knicks franchise this is probably true,” a fan commented.

“Imagine this actually happens tomorrow like how Centel predicted Thibs firing a day ahead,” wrote another.

As humorous and entertaining as it would be for non-Knicks fans to see, Stephen A. Smith is not about to become their head coach. But hey, at least we got some priceless reactions from fans on social media.

Stephen A. Smith Recently Signed An Extension With ESPN

Stephen A. Smith's online celebration of the Knicks' victoryStephen A. Smith (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
In March, Smith signed a lucrative multi-year extension with the Worldwide Leader in Sports worth at least $100 million. The new deal included a reduced working schedule and the opportunities to discuss other topics like politics on other networks.

 

Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on split from husband Jesse Wood in her first TV interview since the breakup.

Joining Lorraine Kelly on Monday’s episode of the ITV show, the TV presenter, 43, also gave an health update after having two tumours removed from jaw.

Fearne announced her split from Jesse, the son of Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood, in December after 10 years of marriage.

She has since made swipes at Jesse and moved on with TV director Elliot Hegarty, with the pair having been seen kissing during a recent night out.

Fearne has had a difficult few months after undergoing surgery to remove two benign tumours from her jawline, just days before her split with Jesse emerged.

She told host Lorraine: ‘It’s all very amicable and kids are doing great. I am in a very good place.’place.’

Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on split from husband Jesse Wood in her first TV interview since the breakup
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Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on split from husband Jesse Wood in her first TV interview since the breakup

Fearne announced her split from Jesse, the son of Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood , in December after 10 years of marriage (both pictured in February 2024)
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Fearne announced her split from Jesse, the son of Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood , in December after 10 years of marriage (both pictured in February 2024)

Discussing her recent surgery, she added: ‘I feel very grateful to have completely recovered.

‘I feel really good. I have a lot of people reaching out who have had the same thing.’

Davina McCall, 56, announced in November she’d been diagnosed with a colloid cyst, a rare type of benign brain tumour, and has supported Fearne.

She continued: ‘Everyone needs a Davina. She’s been amazing, weird that we had the same health thing going on at the same time. She’s so calming and we speak every day. She is just the best

It comes after Fearne has seemingly made another thinly-veiled dig at her ex-husband as she gushed that she is the happiest she’s ever been in a positive update.

Speaking to Scott Mills on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, Fearne gushed that she is ‘really happy’ and is ‘springing out of bed in the morning ready for life’.

Scott, who has known Fearne for 25 years, said he has never seen her ‘more positive or happier’, prompting Fearne to agree and reply: ‘Yeah I feel great!’

She told how her health scare has changed her outlook and said she has been seeking comfort from Davina.

Joining Lorraine Kelly on Monday's episode of the ITV show, the TV presenter, 43, also gave an health update after having two tumours removed from jaw
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Joining Lorraine Kelly on Monday’s episode of the ITV show, the TV presenter, 43, also gave an health update after having two tumours removed from jaw

It comes after Fearne has seemingly made another thinly-veiled dig at her ex-husband as she gushed that she is the happiest she's ever been in a positive update
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It comes after Fearne has seemingly made another thinly-veiled dig at her ex-husband as she gushed that she is the happiest she’s ever been in a positive update

‘I’m really happy and I think when you’ve had a health thing like that it does just give you this baseline gratitude where you just feel, you know I have talked to Davina a hell of a lot as our operations were within a month of each other which so weird,’ she continued.

‘We’ve had so many brilliant chats about yeah just feeling very grateful for the basics and sort of springing out of bed in the morning ready for life so yeah I’m feeling good I’ve got lots of exciting stuff happening this year so I’m ready for it!’

Reflecting on her health scare, Fearne said she is ‘massively grateful’ because she didn’t think the lump was anything to worry about, before learning it was a tumour.

‘I went for an ultrasound and it ended up being a tumour, which was obviously a big surprise,’ she explained.

‘Now I feel absolutely great I’m really grateful and you know go and get those lumps and bumps checked out if you’ve got them it’s really really important.

‘I really thought this is going to be a non-event and it ended up being you know major surgery, but I’m healthy and feeling great and just massively grateful.’

Fearne had the benign tumour removed just days before her split from her husband Jesse – who she shares her son Rex and daughter Honey with – emerged.

‘It is with a heavy heart that I let you all know that Jesse and I are ending our marriage,’ the radio host said in an online post at the time, saying their priority would ‘always be’ their children.

Fearne is also stepmother to Jesse’s children Arthur, 21, and Lola, 18, from his first marriage to Tilly Wood.

Jesse, 48, has since moved on his former actress and model, Gemma Gregory, 39, who now works in the wellness business and hosts the Happy Place podcast.

Meanwhile, Fearne is said to have been secretly dating TV director Elliot Hegarty since January.

Their romance emerged when they were seen passionately kissing on a night out in Soho before they walked hand-in-hand while accompanied by friends.

The single mother, 51, was said to be ‘totally shocked and devastated because she only knew that Elliot and Fearne were friends’ and a friend told the Mail: ‘It was an awful way for her to find out and it has been quite ghastly for her.’

Fearne recently spoke about wanting to have a ‘burst of fun’ and ‘go and get p***ed’ following the end of her marriage.

Fearne has since moved on with TV director Elliot Hegarty (pictured in September), with the pair having been seen kissing during a recent night out
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Fearne has since moved on with TV director Elliot Hegarty (pictured in September), with the pair having been seen kissing during a recent night out

Fearne has also had a difficult few months after undergoing surgery to remove two benign tumours from her jawline, just days before her split with Jesse emerged
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Fearne has also had a difficult few months after undergoing surgery to remove two benign tumours from her jawline, just days before her split with Jesse emerged

Speaking to Women’s Health UK, Fearne made a swipe at her ex-husband as she told how she has ‘missed out on having fun’.

She shared: ‘I’ve dedicated the past 12 years to being a mum and building Happy Place [the award-winning podcast and wellness festival Fearne launched in 2018] I still want to do all of that, but I’ve been missing out on just having fun.

‘Now I’m in my forties, I want more fun; to see mates, have lunches at my house and cook for everyone, go on little nights out and dinners and not care so much about getting back late.’

The couple had reportedly faced challenges for several years, with Fearne previously admitting that their marriage had been ‘suffering’ as far back as 2019.

Speaking at the time, Fearne said Jesse’s demanding schedule with his band Reef had put a strain on their relationship which left them desperately ‘clinging onto their marriage’ in an unearthed interview.

Fearne and Jesse tied the knot in July 2014 three years after they started dating. They met while partying in Ibiza the year after his split from his first wife Tilly.