ESPN’s Stephen A Smith is not a fan of people who have a lot to say about his comments from last week regarding JJ Redick.

Smith did not mince a single word when he stated on First Take that “white folks” shouldn’t concern themselves with the report he put out that Black head coaches had an issue with Redick starting a podcast with LeBron James while Darvin Ham was on the hot seat with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Black coaches called a Black commentator to complain about a Black superstar doing a podcast while his Black head coach was on the hot seat before he ultimately lost the damn job,” Smith said, via Awful Announcing. “What does that have to do with white folks? Some things are none of your damn business.”

After that rant, Smith then took a shot at Fox Sports’ Doug Gottlieb, who had accused him of “race-baiting.”

“It was a Black-on-Black thing, but you’ve got other folks who will remain nameless working for other networks with their irrelevant-ass selves popping their junk,” he said. “And the fact of the matter is it has absolutely positively nothing to do with that. It’s about that the fact that this situation ended up looking the way that it looks optically.”

Stephen A Smith said last Monday that “numerous coaches, Black coaches, called me expressing how they took issue with that podcast taking place.” He added that “some of them felt very salty about that.”

A few days later, Smith offered up his own opinion, saying that James’ decision to launch a podcast breaking down the game was a “very egregious thing to do” given the timing.

Stephen A Smith Reportedly Turns Down Massive ESPN Contract Offer

Puck‘s John Ourand reported last Thursday that ESPN made Stephen A. Smith a contract offer. The Worldwide Leader In Sports offered $18 million for Smith’s services. That was not enough for him.

According to John Ourand, Stephen A. Smith is currently asking for $25 million annually from ESPN.

That massive number would make him ESPN’s highest-paid talent, surpassing Monday Night Football’s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

Last December, Smith joined Clay Travis on OutKick the Show and was asked whether being their highest-paid talent is important to him.

“Yes. I’m not stuttering. Hell, yes, that’s absolutely true,” Smith said. “I’ve mastered my own business in the world of sports television. Clay Travis, I’ve been number one for 12 years. April 1st will mark 12 consecutive years I’ve been number one. Not only have I been number one every year, I’ve been number one every week and every month of every year for the last 12 years.

“You don’t get to say that about too many people. I look at whether it’s Pat McAfee, it’s Mike Greenberg, it’s Scott Van Pelt, it’s Troy Aikman, it’s Joe Buck, it’s Kirk Herbstreit. The list goes on and on. I’m so honored to have the colleagues that I have that I work with at ESPN every day. And at the end of the day, it would be nice, one day, for this man to stand before everyone and be like, ‘I’m number one and this says I’m number one.’”

Luka Doncic ‘destroys’ the Mavs on his return. Gets standing ovation and shows love to Mark Cuban

Luka Doncic hits 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles.

It’s rare for a home crowd to cheer the visiting team, but Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was no ordinary night.

Just days before February’s trade deadline, the Mavericks shocked the NBA by sending their 26-year-old superstar to the Lakers—a move that outraged fans and sparked backlash toward GM Nico Harrison.

On Wednesday, Doncic played his first game back in Dallas since the trade. The arena was filled with fans in both his old Mavs and new Lakers jerseys, many chanting “Fire Nico” in protest.

Despite the emotion in the air, Doncic delivered a dominant performance, scoring a game-high 45 points to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win. It was a powerful return for one of the league’s brightest stars—and a night Dallas won’t soon forget

The Mavericks pay tribute to Luka Dončić

While the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic remains heavily criticized, they handled his return to Dallas with undeniable grace. The organization made sure his first game back as a Laker was met with respect and appreciation.

Every seat in the arena was draped with a T-shirt reading “Hvala za vse,” which translates from Slovenian to “thank you for everything.” It was a thoughtful nod to Doncic’s heritage and impact on the franchise.

Before tip-off, during the starting lineup announcements, the Mavericks played a tribute video showcasing some of Doncic’s most iconic moments in a Dallas jersey. The emotional gesture clearly resonated—moving Doncic to tears in front of the crowd that once called him their own.

Luka Doncic ‘DESTROYS’ his old team

Luka delivered a dazzling performance against his former team, putting up 45 points on 16-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also added 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in a game that showed exactly why he’s one of the best in the league.

From the opening tip, Doncic was locked in. By halftime, Doncic had racked up 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting in just 19 minutes—marking the 10th time in his career he’s scored 30 or more in a single half.

Though his scoring slowed in the second half, he continued to lead effectively, securing both a Lakers win and an unforgettable showing for the fans in Dallas.