Smith finally shares what led to Qerim’s exit.

Stephen A. Smith has spoken about Molly Qerim leaving First Take. He shared his thoughts five months after she stepped away from the show. Smith talked about the situation while appearing on The White House with Michael Irvin, a show on Netflix hosted by Michael Irvin and Brandon Marshall.

Smith said he did not want Qerim to leave the show. He also explained that he was not the person who made the decision to remove her.

“Molly decided that she wanted to leave, and she had some issues that I’m not going to discuss,” Smith said. “It wasn’t with me, but she had some issues that was foremost on her mind and she made the decision to abruptly resign.”

Qerim left ESPN in September after 10 years on First Take. She hosted the show on Sept. 15. By the next morning, she was gone. Smith addressed viewers on air and later spoke on his SiriusXM show. He said the move shocked him and came during contract talks. He also told listeners that “the details, quite frankly, are none of ya’ll business.”

Smith Says Decision Came From Above

Molly Qerim (Photo via Instagram)
Smith pushed back on claims that he could have stopped the change. He serves as host and executive producer of First Take, but he stressed that he answers to network leaders.

“Just because I’m the executive producer of the show doesn’t mean that I’m the boss,” he said. “I have bosses that I answer to.”

ESPN president of content Burke Magnus told The Athletic that the network planned a change. He said, “While we knew we were going to make a change — her deal ran through the end of the year – we were more focused on that timeline.” That plan likely shaped her choice to step away in September instead of staying through the final months.

Smith spoke warmly about his former co-host. “I loved Molly. I didn’t want her to leave,” he said. He praised Shae Cornette, who replaced Qerim in mid-October after ESPN auditioned hosts for about a month. “She knows her sports backwards and forwards. She is the real deal,” he said of Cornette.

Still, Smith pointed to Qerim’s role in the show’s success. “We’re No. 1 all of these years; she was hosting when we were No. 1 all of those years,” he said.

Qerim joined First Take full-time in 2015 after filling in. She grew into a steady presence and kept debates on track. Since leaving ESPN, she has moderated a Q&A with UConn coach Dan Hurley and landed a role hosting Zuffa Boxing events on Paramount+.

Smith says he did what he could. He says he asked leaders to treat her fairly. Then, he says, the show moved on.

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.