'Say What?': Stephen A. Smith Caught Off Guard After Knicks Stars Brunson and Hart Confront Him Face to Face
Brunson and Hart pressed Smith to apologize for years of criticism after the Knicks won their first title in 53 years.
- On June 20, 2026, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith publicly apologized to Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks during a live taping of The Roommates Show at Madison Square Garden's Infosys Theater.
- Smith's apology followed years of skepticism regarding the Knicks, stemming from his 2016 claim that Villanova University's championship squad featured no legitimate NBA prospects despite producing seven future pros including Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges.
- Josh Hart confronted the analyst face-to-face as the duo displayed the Larry O'Brien Trophy on stage, with Hart demanding accountability for years of negative narratives regarding the team's championship prospects.
- Admitting he was wrong, Smith declared, "I'm a grown-a man. I apologize to this brother on national television. I'm apologizing to the entire Knicks organization," adding he has "never been more happy to be wrong in my life."
- The celebration occurred less than 24 hours after an estimated 2 million fans gathered for a ticker-tape parade in Lower Manhattan, marking the Knicks' first NBA title in 53 years.
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Stephen A. Smith Finally Admits He Was Wrong About Jalen Brunson
Source: Dave Kotinsky / Getty The celebration of the New York Knicks’ long-awaited championship continued Friday night, and one of the team’s biggest critics found himself answering for years of bad takes. Less than 24 hours after an estimated 2 million fans packed the streets of Lower Manhattan for the Knicks’ ticker-tape parade celebrating the franchise’s first NBA title in 53 years, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart took the party indoors for a spe…
'Say What?': Stephen A. Smith Caught Off Guard After Knicks Stars Brunson and Hart Confront Him Face to Face
Prominent sportscaster Stephen A. Smith has built a reputation as a brash, outspoken pundit who typically stands by his words. But he was forced to publicly backtrack his remarks about several New York Knicks players over the past decade. The Brooklyn native, 58, rallied behind the Knicks’ historic run in the 2026 NBA playoffs last week. Stephen A. Smith goes on an apology tour for blasting the New York Knicks for years. (Photo by Paras Griffi…
Stephen A. Smith Loudly Boo'd At Jalen Brunson & Josh Hart's Podcast Recording
Source: Dave Kotinsky / Getty When the New York Knicks signed Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract back in 2022, many NBA analysts laughed at the Knicks’ obvious desperation after they threw a ton of money at the former backup point guard for the Dallas Mavericks. Four years and an NBA Championship later, Jalen Brunson isn’t just an NBA Finals MVP, but he’s also been crowned the undisputed King of New York (sorry, Aaron Judge). Ma…
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