Stephen A. Smith Apologizes to Kyrie Irving over COVID-19: 'It Made Him Brave'
Smith said Irving was brave for resisting the vaccine and apologized after his own near-fatal COVID-19 illness changed his view.
- On Friday, Stephen Smith issued a full apology to Kyrie Irving, four years after criticizing the All-Star for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine and missing Brooklyn Nets games, now calling his stance "brave."
- Smith's shift followed watching former NIAID director Anthony Fauci invoke his Fifth Amendment rights more than 100 times before the Senate Homeland Security Committee regarding COVID-19 origins, fueling his growing suspicion about the pandemic response.
- Hospitalized with pneumonia around the New Year in 2021, Smith nearly died from COVID-19; despite his personal battle, he grew increasingly suspicious of the pandemic response in recent years.
- Republicans continue attacking Anthony Fauci for alleged cover-ups of virus origins, attacks that persisted even after Joe Biden issued a blanket pardon to protect him from President Donald Trump.
- Years ago, Kyrie Irving led the charge against the COVID-19 vaccine; Smith acknowledged his error, stating, "I need to do better," as he reassessed his past treatment of the All-Star.
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18 Articles
Stephen A. Smith apologizes 5 years later for saying vaccine skepticism made player look 'flat-out stupid'
Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith has completely reversed course over comments he made during COVID about vaccine skepticism.In Oct. 2021, the Brooklyn Nets said they were not allowing point guard Kyrie Irving to practice or play basketball with the team until he got the coronavirus vaccine.'I need to do better. I'm not alone, but I'm responsible for me.'Smith was among those who heavily criticized Irving for his vaccine reticence."Kyrie Irvin…
Donald Trump faces call from Congress to give Kyrie Irving the Medal of Freedom
President Donald J. Trump speaks at a rally in the fieldhouse at Rockland Community College May 22, 2026.ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith nearly lost his life in 2022 to COVID-19, but that isn’t stopping him from asserting that Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving was right about the virus all along. Irving, then a member of the Brooklyn Nets, infamously refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, and Smith was one of the most critical public-facing voice…
Stephen A. Smith only speaks up about important societal issues only when it's politically acceptable
Stephen A. Smith is a politician as much as a sports media personality nowadays. There has been talk about him running for president, he’s cozied up to politicians and has made frequent appearances on political news channels. That’s why I believe his recent comments about Dr. Anthony Fauci and Kyrie Irving seem to be more about scoring political points, than an example of actual courage and conviction.On Thursday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smit…
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