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Stephen A. Smith is arguably ESPN's biggest star, but not because he's the most prepared, according to one former colleague.
Jason Fitz, a former ESPN sports radio host who was laid off in 2023 and has since joined Fox Sports, claims the polarizing media figure is actually too busy to watch games.
'Stephen A. is one of the least prepared people I've ever worked with in my entire career,' Fitz told Memphis' ESPN Radio affiliate during a recent guest spot.
Smith, who recently signed a five-year, $100 million extension with ESPN, has faced criticism since being caught playing solitaire on his phone During Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Indianapolis. He's since claimed he was multitasking.
The controversy surrounding Smith only grew this week when the 57-year-old Bronx native claimed Memphis' notorious crime rate was preventing the NBA's Grizzlies from attracting top-level free agents.
'But there's an element there where cats like Jimmy Butler and others don't feel it's the safest environment. I'm talking to the local authorities in Memphis,' Smith said. 'You've got to clean some of that stuff up because it's dissuasive to NBA players. They have talked about it. I know. They've told me.'
Stephen A. Smith is arguably ESPN's biggest star, but not because he's prepared, Fitz said
Fitz described Smith as being unprepared because he's too busy to really watch games
And it was that latest controversy that Fitz was responding to when he blasted Smith this week in Memphis.
Claiming to work 80 hours a week during his time with ESPN, Fitz admitted Smith 'is busier than I ever was.'
'We see him making content 24/7,' Fitz said. 'So, I guess my question to people in Memphis is: how much Memphis do you think he's actually absorbed? And I mean all of it. Memphis culture, Memphis basketball.
'What the hell does Stephen A. know about the city of Memphis? And the answer to that is only what his friends or his people on his phone, tweet him, or text him. That's all he knows. He is so separated from actual reality. What does he know?'
And Fitz didn't stop there.
Smith's content, Fitz argued, is rooted in stereotypes rather than first-hand information.
'Stephen A. walks and talks and lives and eats and breathes stereotypes,' Fitz said. 'That's all he knows… Frankly, he has to talk about the city of Memphis because my guy hasn't watched a single Memphis basketball game in probably three years.
'Stephen A. has a staff and info group that feeds him information so that he can have somewhat informed opinions, and they're usually not because he works too hard to actually watch any games.'
Daily Mail has reached out to ESPN for comment.
Memphis historically has a bad crime rate, but 2024 saw murders and total crime fall overall
The West Tennessee city on the banks of the Mississippi has been plagued by gang activity with a whopping 398 murders in 2023 compared to less than 100 just 13 years earlier.
But as Memphis mayor Paul Young said in his response to Smith, 'violent crime is down significantly in 2024 and 2025.'
He went on to extend an invitation for Smith to visit Memphis, which the ESPN host accepted.
'Deeply appreciate your words and the sentiments that came with them,' Smith wrote on X this week. 'Progress is what life is all about and when it comes to Memphis -where some dear friends of mine reside − I wish for nothing less. The people deserve nothing less.
'So with that said, I accept your invitation to come to your city, as your guest. Let's make it happen. I'm looking forward to it.'
As for Fitz's criticism of Smith, it's not the first time sports aficionados have questioned the First Take host's expertise. One such incident popped up in August of 2024, when the self-professed Yankees fans discussed New York's Aaron Judge and his then-teammate, Juan Soto.
'Judge has Juan Soto batting behind him so they can't get around him… they've got to pitch to the brother because you have Soto waiting in the wings,' Smith said ESPN.
Smith, as countless baseball fans quickly recognized, was exactly backwards about the whole situation. It was Judge who hit behind Soto in the Yankees' lineup last season, thereby motivating pitchers to throw strikes to Soto in hopes of avoiding a walk and giving Judge the chance to drive in another run.
