Stephen A. Smith Responds to Knicks' Josh Hart in Rapidly-Escalating Beef

The New York Knicks starter got hit with the most direct shot yet from the outspoken media personality this week.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith on the ESPN First Take set at the CFP Fan Central at the George World Congress Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

What once started as ESPN's star talking head criticizing the New York Knicks has spiraled into something completely different over a matter of days. Stephen A. Smith turned the heat up on his war of words with Knicks guard Josh Hart this week, retorting to Hart's latest message with a long response that reads pretty clearly as a threat.

First, Hart defended teammate Mikal Bridges after Smith's indictment of the star wing's play and how his Knicks' acquisition may go on to doom the franchise's contending goals. Smith refused to back down in advising that Hart butt out, and he took Hart's advice to "shut the hell up" personally, taking to his personal talk show to provide a full-length rebuttal on his own terms.

He pretty pointedly goes on to try and dismantle Hart's "part-time Knicks fan" accusation in going through the experience and relationships he's built up as an NBA reporter. He may have the years to line his resume, but his unique path to stardom has enabled Smith's to earn much more money and leverage than your average on-air opinionnaire, and he let that influence be known with his most recent power play.

"What did I say about the New York Knicks that requires me to know anybody?" he demanded. "First of all, you don’t who I know. Secondly, you don’t know who talks to me. Thirdly, you don’t even know how close I am to the people that cut your checks. Josh Hart, clearly you haven’t done your homework.”

Stephen A. Smith on Josh Hart comments telling him to shut the hell up that he’s a part-time Knicks fan:

“I just love how people ignore the resume. Let me say this about myself. So I spent 20 years covering the NBA and I’m on the road and in locker rooms for over 100 games a… pic.twitter.com/a1uMFbUdei

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 27, 2026

A Different Brand of Beef

This wouldn't be the first time that an player and a member of the media got into it, but rarely do those away from the game have the chance to harm someone's livelihood just for sticking up for a teammate, let alone flaunt it for the world to hear.

This wouldn't be the first time that Smith put himself above the basketball players, as he's made it something of a pattern to imply that he's equally or more important than the basketball players who he discusses and argues about for a living. Even LeBron James isn't safe from Smith's bombastic assertions.

He's already reportedly earning $40 million annually, meaning that ESPN values him around the same level that the NBA considers their franchise players.

The part that's lost in Smith's decision to get suddenly serious is that he's lost the plot in the initial squabble. The Knicks aren't a lost cause with Bridges playing at his relatively-ineffective offensive state, still generally-thriving in New York's starting lineup alongside fellow impact defender Hart with 48 wins through 74 games.

Yes, they may have given up a lot to get Hart's and Jalen Brunson's old college teammate, but his contract extension isn't untradeable should his play continue going south over the remaining 2020s. This isn't some kind of death sentence like he fears.

Nov 17, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) celebrates with forward Mikal Bridges (25) in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Hart, too, isn't afraid to let his thoughts be known, frequently taking to X to dispense impulsive observations both big and small. He's yet to ever get tied up with someone as inescapable as ESPN's centerpiece, though, encouraging Knicks fans to stay glued to his account in an attempt to catch the next chapter of Hart vs. Smith.

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