"No idea what you’re talking about" - Stephen A. Smith snaps back at Isiah Thomas for publicly calling him out for slandering Jaylen Brown
Stephen A. Smith and NBA legend Isiah Thomas engaged in a heated back-and-forth on social media over Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. The veteran ESPN analyst has faced criticism from fans for many years, but things escalated when a former player called him out on social media.
Smith didn't hesitate and clapped back at Isiah Thomas, a two-time NBA champion, calling him out for making his feelings public before contacting him privately.
"I have no idea what you’re talking about @IsiahThomas. I have been a fan of Jaylen Brown for years," Smith said. "Still am. What’s unfortunate is that YOU — who’s known for me decades — would choose to go on X to express whatever dissent you feel instead of calling me directly."
"But I get it. It’s a pattern several folks have used vs me recently, suddenly forgetting communication we’ve always had. So be it. I root for JB always—a great dude and player. But the @celtics have to close the deal."
Isiah Thomas accuses Stephen A. Smith of slandering Jaylen Brown
Before Smith's rant on Twitter, Thomas called the analyst for slandering Jaylen Brown on Friday on his First Take show.
Isiah Thomas took to Twitter on Saturday to share his thoughts on Smith's comments. The legendary point guard took offense to the analyst, citing an unknown source to say bad things about Jaylen Brown.
"I have been a friend, mentor and advisor to @FCHWPO since he was a student at UC Berkeley he is 100 percent marketable and before you slander his name @stephenasmith tell your source to put their name on it or don’t speak on it. Let it be known," Thomas wrote on Twitter.
This comment responds to Smith saying, on behalf of somebody else, that Jaylen Brown was the most underrated NBA star.
"I wanted to read to y’all what an NBA source just sent me,” Smith said on First Take. “He said, ‘Jaylen Brown, it’s not so much that he’s underrated, it’s that he’s just not liked because of his I-am-better-than-you attitude. He knows it. It’s the same reason he is not as marketable as he should be.’ That’s what an NBA source just sent me." (7:55 mark)
In March, SAS sent a strong message to the former player about Michael Jordan not caring to apologize to Isiah Thomas after slandering him in the award-winning documentary series 'The Last Dance.'
Earlier this week, Isiah Thomas criticized Smith's list of the best playoff runs by small guards, adding fuel to this brewing rivalry.
As things stand right now, it seems like there's no love lost between these two. Smith has a bigger platform on ESPN and he'll probably address these comments tomorrow on his show.