On Monday, the ESPN mainstay dropped a promo for the Solitaire Cash App, but the NBA fans instantly called it out for looking AI-generated. The clip shows Stephen A. Smith doing his usual animated delivery, yet something about it had fans cracking up and side-eyeing the production.
One fan wrote, “Bro was this whole commercial AI?”
Another joked, “damn bro must be running low on money lmao.”
A third added, “This mf know a trillion and 1 words, how tf is ‘shame’ not one of them?”
Y’all really mad I was playing Solitaire during the Finals?
Maybe ask yourself why. Join now for the first time ever – World Solitaire Championship.Starting today on the Solitaire Cash App
Download Now 👇🏾
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 3, 2025
According to The Papaya Vice President of Marketing, Uri Pearl, the partnership was inspired by a real-life viral moment.
“When Stephen A. Smith was caught playing Solitaire courtside during the NBA Finals, we knew right away that this was more than a viral moment; it was proof of how timeless and irresistible this game is.”
That moment came during Game 4 of the Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, when cameras caught Smith casually playing Solitaire on his phone. Now, that little courtside meme has turned into a full-blown campaign — with Smith serving as the official ambassador for the World Solitaire Championship.
Still, plenty of fans couldn’t get past how weirdly off the promo felt, joking that even AI wouldn’t have signed off on it.
“That forehead needed extra pixels”: NBA fans roast Stephen A. Smith’s billboard
If the Solitaire ad wasn’t enough, Smith found himself trending again after a new billboard promoting his SiriusXM show Get Serious popped up in Dallas, Texas.
During his visit, Smith proudly shared a clip of the billboard on X, writing,
“We’re on the big screen!”
We’re on the big screen! pic.twitter.com/H1OOrrgm6c
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 3, 2025
Fans didn’t hold back in the replies.
One fan said, “That forehead needed extra pixels.”
Another commented, “You can sell your soul and grift your way to see yourself on a screen guys!”
A third wrote, “Does his team not read the comments? This dude is deeply unliked and it just gets worse. Cornball to the highest degree.”
Whether it’s AI ads or massive billboards, Stephen A. keeps the internet talking — even if not always for the reasons he’d like.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
