NBA Fans this Wednesday didn’t like how Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the clash between the Detroit Pistons and the Charlotte Hornets. On the recent episode of First Take, Smith threw shade on the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart for being involved in the brawl, calling out to Stewart that he fits more to the UFC and boxing than basketball.
However, NBA Fans weren’t convinced on Smith’s statement, with user @RidenourDamian writing, “Of course SA saying this about Detroit lol.. Knicks are the softest team in the league.”
Of course SA saying this about Detroit lol.. Knicks are the softest team in the league
— Damian Ridenour (@RidenourDamian) February 11, 2026
The user even didn’t held back referring to Smith’s favorite team, the Knicks, but the message still stands: Fans see Smith’s words as biased.
User @aipstory also took issue with Smith’s bias against Detroit, writing, “Knicks bias and lazy talking point. The brother [Stewart] just won Defensive Player of the Month. I think he’s being a damn fine basketball player.”
Either way, NBA Fans call out on what they see as Smith turning a blind eye on the whole situation. Fans have defended Stewart’s aggressions, which for them, didn’t just come out of nowhere.
“Bunch of crap, watch the games. Against Denver Jonas put him in a headlock and Stew simply walked away,” one user remarked, referring to Stewart’s previous clash with Denver’s Jonas Valanciunas.
“not once have any of you spoke the truth that Stew did not react UNTIL Bridges punched Duren who was being held in no world is that going to be ok and not met by Stew,” one user wrote.
NBA Fans had enough on what they see as the league being unfair on Stewart, even if he wasn’t the center of Monday’s clash. Fans knew well that the brawl only escalated after the Pistons’ Jalen Duren and the Hornets’ Moussa Diabate did it first, with Stewart only stepping in when it is too late.
NBA Fans call out Smith’s double standards on recent brawl
On the other hand, many NBA Fans also didn’t like how Smith lobbed criticism for Stewart’s aggression, when the veteran analyst himself had claimed the league lost all its physicality throughout the years.
User @realclash11 exactly spewed these words, writing, “This the same guy that for years said the league is too soft. Now a guy comes in w aggression and edge and it’s frowned upon smh yall make up your minds fr.”
User @alienlamba had the same insights in mind, posting, “This same man would come and complain the league is too soft. Pick a side brother.”
Physicality has always been a big topic among many NBA Fans throughout the years, and with the recent brawl, such topic got traction once more.
