Stephen A. Smith Had a Very Emotional Reaction to Knicks Losing Julius Randle for Rest of Season

The ESPN personality and lifelong Knicks fan was not thrilled by the news of Randle's season-ending shoulder surgery.

Stephen A. Smith was dismayed by the Julius Randle injury news.

ESPN television personality and lifelong New York Knicks fan, Stephen A. Smith, was devastated by the news of Julius Randle's season-ending shoulder surgery, which broke live during First Take on Thursday morning.

Randle had spent the last two months rehabbing his injured shoulder with hopes of avoiding surgery and being able to return before the end of the regular season in time to ramp up for the playoff run. Instead, he will undergo the surgery that he was trying to avoid and will miss the rest of the year, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"24 and nine, 47% shooting," Smith began. "OG Anunoby arrives. You've got the best record in the month. You've got an opportunity with Milwaukee, suspect...Miami looking suspect at times. Joel Embiid injured. They had a chance to get to the conference finals against Boston. And then this happens. You can't make it up, man," Smith muttered as the First Take production crew played sad instrumental music in the background.

An emotional Stephen A. Smith responds to the news that Knicks forward Julius Randle is out for the remainder of the season. pic.twitter.com/Qzm7FaxdWi

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 4, 2024

Losing Randle certainly hurts New York's chances of potentially making a run to the NBA Finals, as it will be difficult for the franchise to take down some of the East's top contenders without one of its top players.

Randle was enjoying another spectacular regular season for the Knicks prior to the shoulder injury. In 46 games, Randle averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists on 47.2% shooting from the floor and 31.1% shooting from three.

With seven regular season games remaining, the Knicks reside in fifth place in the East at 44-31 on the season.