Stephen A. Smith Apologizes to John Wall

LA Clippers guard John Wall recently opened up about the mental health battles he has faced over the last two years. Having lost his mother and grandmother around the same time he tore his achilles, the five-time All-Star was in the darkest period of his life. This period also coincided with a global pandemic, which understandably compounded matters for Wall.

Around this same time, Wall was the recipient of some criticism regarding his situation with the Houston Rockets. National media members frequently misrepresented the situation, portraying Wall in a way that was not accurate. During a recent ESPN segment, Stephen A. Smith pledged to apologize to Wall for his part in this development.

"I can't wait to see him," Smith said. "Because people like myself, and a few others, owe that man an apology. I'm being honest. Because we didn't know. That's not to say that anything was said about him cruelly, or anything that was said with malicious intent, but the fact of the matter is it's just a reminder that you never know what people are going through."

Stephen A. Smith's message was an important reminder, especially in the world of sports media, that these athletes are people just like anybody else, with problems just like anybody else. When subject to so much criticism, in the midst of these personal problems, it can become overwhelming. Stephen A. Smith recognizes this, and looks forward to apologizing to John Wall.

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