Stephen A. Smith is catching heat again, this time from former NBA Champion Stephen Jackson, who accused the ESPN host of showing double standards in how he talks to Black and white public figures.
In a video that spread quickly on social media, Jackson called out Stephen A. Smith over his recent comments about Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, and LeBron James.
“Come on, Stephen A., bro,” Jackson said. “You get loud and all in your feelings about Bron when talking to a Black billionaire, but when you talking to a white billionaire, you humble. And you come back on your show talking real respectful, mild-mannered. … And you talking to Black woman? Stay out of politics and stick to talking about sports you never played, alright?”
The latest issue began after Stephen A. Smith discussed Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, during one of his podcast episodes, where his tone was seen as dismissive. This came not long after his viral debate with LeBron James’s remarks on ownership and activism.
It’s easy to be loud and opinionated. What’s difficult is to keep the consistency, especially when our perspective perpetually changes as we learn more. Stephen A. Smith getting the callout is but another case in point where the loudest voice is also the easiest to spot.
Alexis Ohanian Fires Back At Stephen A. Smith With Subtle, Classy Clapback
After Stephen A. Smith made comments questioning his role as Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian didn’t stay silent. Instead, he fired back in true Silicon Valley fashion — calm, confident, and surgical.
Responding on social media, Ohanian posted,
“Stephen A. Smith, I think you had some marriage advice for me?” He followed it up with a sharp line that instantly went viral: “I give advice to plenty of founders who want to build billion-dollar companies. And the reason I do that is because I build billion-dollar companies. So I generally try to stay in my lane.”
It was a mic drop moment that had fans praising his composure while putting Stephen A. Smith in an awkward spot. Many said it was a masterclass in how to respond without lowering oneself to the noise.
Ohanian’s response came after Smith’s podcast segment, where the sports analyst made remarks about the tech entrepreneur’s relationship with Serena Williams. Critics said Smith seemed dismissive of Ohanian’s success outside sports, sparking accusations of bias and condescension.
The post from Ohanian quickly gathered traction, with fans flooding the replies to support him and call out Smith for being “out of touch.” Even some of Smith’s own followers admitted that Ohanian handled the exchange better.
For all his experience controlling headlines, Stephen A. Smith may have underestimated how easily his words can backfire when directed outside the sports world. And in this case, Ohanian’s calm response proved that sometimes the quietest rebuttal hits the loudest.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
