Lebron, James Gilbert Arenas, Tucker Carlson, and Ben Shapiro. What in God's name do all four of those subjects have in common? They'll all be talked about right here on The stephen A. Smith Show. Right now. What's up, everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of The Stephen A. Smith Show, coming at you as I love to do at the very least three times a week over the digital airways of YouTube and of course iHeartRadio. As always, I like to take a moment to pause just to thank by
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To continue to like and follow the show, Just click the bell and you get notified for all of our newest content right here on The step and A Smith Show, and you too shall be considered the latest member of the family and While you're doing that, make sure please to pick up a copy of my New York Times best selling book, Straight Shooter, a memoir of Second Chances and First Takes, Now with paperback. Just go straight shoot
book dot com to get yourself a copy. Once again, there straight shoot a book dot com to get yourself a copy. Let's get started with the conversation, not on politics, not on sports, but on race. Conversation I heard recently between Chris Cuomo of NewsNation and conservative commentator at Tucker Calson. The interview was a wide ranging conversation that touched on a number of topics, including quotas and DEI don't believe me Tuck A. Calson aired at first, and then obviously
NewsNation neared aired the snippet of it. Take a look at what I'm about to show you.
It became obvious that the maritocracy was producing an incredibly lopsided society, and that freaks people out and it felt unfair to them. The meritocracy produces an outcome that you may not be ready for, actually, because it's rooted in nature and you can't change it. So these are super complicated questions. But I know that a system that rewards people on the basis of race and punishes others on the basis of race, creates hatred and division.
I was very uncomfortable hearing there from Tucker Calson. Let me be very very clear, meritocracy created a lopsided environment, ladies and gentlemen. I don't know how you took there, but let me tell you how I take it. We live in a white power structured society. White men run
in this country, if not this world. And what Tucker Calson basically said there, it was if you're saying a meritocracy, that that is what existed and when that existed, before the likes of affirmative action, before civil rights legislation, before
dei et cetera, et cetera. If you're saying a meritocracy created a lop side of society, and that lop side of society was in the favor of white folks, then essentially what you're saying is white folks got their stuff on merit and everybody else maybe not so much.
That's how I took it.
That's what I heard. What y'all here, what whoa what y'all here? That's what I heard. That's what I heard. That is why I was so uncomfortable speaking to Chris Cuomo last night, because I was a guest on his show. In the immediate aftermath of about seven or eight minutes of Chris Cuomo talking to Tuck A. Cossut, I had not seen it up until that moment, and they needed
me to opine on it. So before I even delve further into this subject, let me air for you what I said to Chris Cuomo last night in the immediate aftermath of hearing what took a Callson had to say, take it out. He was dismissive of the cult of the racial construct notion that you brought to his attention, not realizing how palpable and how insulting. Dare I say that would come across to so many African Americans in this country. The fact of the matter is is that
covering the world of sports. Think about it from this perspective. They were telling folks telling the black man he couldn't play the quarterback position. You were telling the black man he couldn't be a head coach. You were telling the black man and he couldn't be a leader of men. Let's not get started with what you were telling the black women. And over the course of time, we've seen how exceptional people from all races are and can be,
and we see how deficient others can be. Then you also have to take into account the kind of society that we lived in. We lived in. Remember I got left back in the fourth grade because at a first grade reading level, Okay, and I I was I had undiagnosed dyslexia that I ultimately had to overcome. What was
one of the challenges of overcoming it. I was in the streets all the time because my mother had to work two jobs, because my father wasn't handling his business appropriately, and as a result, there was a weight on the shoulders of my entire family. And so as a result,
sometimes you found yourself running the streets. Sometimes you found yourself being preoccupied with things you shouldn't be preoccupied with, and as a result, that was taking up your time instead of you hitting the books and doing what you have to do. He didn't mention any of those kind of things. He didn't mention any of the potential obstacles that could lie in weight. He simply wanted to lean on race, talking to the potential intelligence or lack thereof
of a race of people or what have you. And I just said to myself, Wow, he really really seems a bit detached from reality. And I was being nice. I've been very very nice. I could have said some other things, but I don't know. I'm like that. Don't
want to accuse the brother anything. But the bottom line is I was very uncomfortable listening to him because when you use words like lopsidedness to describe a meritocracy, and that meritocracy vastly favored people that look just like Tucker Carlson, and you're lamenting the state of affairs that exist in society today, and you're pointing a figure at DEI diversity equity inclusion, as if that's what's gotten black folks opportunities,
not their merit. If you're alluding to stuff like affirmative action, civil rights legislation, or anything else that occurred in the aftermath of Jim Crow laws that certainly was suppressive, and you're pointing to those things to indicate there's a problem
in our society. What you're saying is it's a problem because we're no longer judging anything on merit, So that means whatever's going on in our society today, whatever opportunities are lacking for quote unquote the white establishment, then excuse me, it can't be about merit. Let's get back to merit.
And this is to me what took a causton came across as not getting let's say, for example, thirty positions was filled because if you watch the interview he was talking about, you know, hey, what's up with all of these communities? Black community is Hispanic community, but just individuals were people, were people. All of us are at the mercy of a system. We're a nation of rules, We're a nation of laws. We're supposed to be. And if that's what's going on in our world, well, who's hovering
over it? Who's the puppeteer pulling the strings? Do we not see the Democrats right now lamenting everything about Donald Trump's power? Do we not see the influence that power can wield? Do we not see a guy in Elon Musk who's unelected, his position as overdoged does not require Senate confirmation anything like that. Do we not see the power that he's willing when he's essentially an advisor and
a consultant to the president. But clearly somebody who gets the president to do a lot of what he says. Power matters, influence matters, and when it's almost always in the hands are people that look like Tucker Caulson, where does that leave the rest of us? If a Tucker Carlson is on the airwaves spewing that that's the kind of meritocracy we should want? Is it just me? Is it just me? And then you want test scores, standardized
test scores? I get that part. If everybody is experiencing the same conditions, same qualities as schools and education, same quality of teachers, same qualities of life, having a walk through the streets of America to get to school. Does everybody have to take mass transit? Does it everybody have to take the train? Does every he have to does everyone have to walk through impoverished neighborhoods, rough streets, crime? Does everybody have the same limited amount of distractions?
Yes? And no.
The answer to that would be no, which means the conditions are not the same, which means to just use something generic that's supposed to be applicable to everyone. When everyone's situations, the circumstances and what is available to them and what they're exposed to is not the same in talk of costs world. None of that should be taken into consideration based on what I heard, What does that leave us? That's where I'm coming from. That's my problem
with what he said. That's what made me incredibly, incredibly uncomfortable, because when you see people lamenting politicians who are in office and looking at them, their personality, their experiences, the influence that they wield and with their soul lies when you found yourself listening to Tucker Causon. As I listened to him last night, I just got the impression, Wow, this is not a dude that sees much outside of his bubble that he either is willing to relate to
or have compassion for. I might be wrong with that. I don't know. I'm only going by what I saw. It looks very uncomfortable because his voice resonates, resonates with people who have influence, and if they're listening to him, what kind of influence are they willing to exercise and what role is he playing in it. He's no longer at Fox News, no long as Nana Amas NBC. He's got his own social media following. He's free as a bird to operate with relative impunity to say whatever it
is he wants to say. That's pretty damn scary if you don't fall under the umbrella of merit or a meritocracy that he feels you should. Just my thoughts based off of what I saw, you'll see, We'll see. Ben Shapiro is the next subject that I'm gonna tackle, but not before this word from prize Pects. All right, everybody, listen up with all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day, The Stephen A. Smith Show wants to make sure you are taking advantage of it all.
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to another topic and involves Ben Shapiro. I want to revisit the topic because that was from Monday show where I spoke out against the conservative commentator who called for the pardon of police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd. Chauvin was sentsus to twenty two and a half years in prison after being convicted of unintentional second degree murder, the third degree murder, a second degree
man slaughter. I spoke out against Shapiro and those comments on Monday, and he responded with a few choice words of his own. It's only fair did I allow you to hear those words the man had to say about me.
Stephen A. Smith is one of the deepest racial identitarians in our society. He does it all the time, all the time. He does it when he talks sports. It happens literally all the time. If you're talking about Nicola Jokic the greatest center of our generation. He'll talk about how Nicola Jokic should not be included in conversations for MVP, specifically because of his race.
The reason Stephen A.
Smith is saying this kind of stuff is because he is projecting, He is projecting a racial conversation where none exists.
The reason that Stephen A.
Smith is exercised over the George Floyd situation is specifically because of a racial narrative that is not predicated on facts. And then he's projecting that into me being some sort of racist for suggesting that the racial narrative should not predominate. This is the whole reason that black lives matter with such a mistake and such a fail because it was racializing of a question that was not in fact racial. And this is again, it's just more evidence that what
I'm saying about Chauvin is true. That the reason that Derek Chauvin is in prison right now is because he was the wrong race and George Floyd was the wrong race, and because of that, Derek Chauvin is in prison right now.
Because here's the dirty little secret.
It never would have been a national news story if the races had been reversed, or if both people had been white, or if both people had been black, it would not have been a national news story. And that means that the officer would have been assessed on the facts of the situation rather than on the racial narrative people like Stephen A. Smith were propagating. Came Meanwhile, again, this is part and parcel of a broader left wing
failure when it comes to narrative. The left wing narrative has failed on so many friends.
Good Lord, damn Ben Shapiro. I thought I talked fast. I've got nothing on you. Nothing, Good Lord, Let me try to address Ben Shapiro as best as I possibly can. Number One, I'm not accusing you of being a racist, nor am I alluding to it. I know close to nothing about you. I've never even listened to one of your shows, and that may be my loss, because anybody that's got over seven million subscribers and has the potency of the voice that you have, you gotta be doing
something right. Let me tell you a little bit something about me, Ben Shapiro. If I thought you were a racist, I'd call you a racist. I wouldn't sugarcoat it. I wouldn't dance around it. I wouldn't allude to it. I'd say so, I don't know you, so it's very irresponsible, or it would be very irresponsible for me to say that. Having said that, although I will concede that the word irresponsible is not applicable here when it comes to you
and what you're saying. The flip side to it, however, is I'm entitled to deduce from what you're saying how wrong I believe you are about something and how, and
to challenge you on how. It makes no sense to me that, out of all the things that you could approach President Trump about, since after not supporting him in twenty sixteen and not even voting in the election, because I read that I read up on you about that, that in twenty twenty four, you've campaigned for him, you're donated to him, and you're voted for and one would
surmise you have some kind of relationship with him. I'm sure that out of all the things that you could talk to him about, that you could approach him about issuing a pardon.
Four.
It does give one cause to pause why the Derek Chauvin case would be that one see, he says, I raised my voice. And oh, by the way, I apologize, Ben Shapiro. Let me die down the volume so you don't have an excuse for not hearing me. Let me calm and cool as I'm talking to you and your listeners and your followers, who I'm sure are quite smart and all that stuff. And before I even go any further,
let me say this, just reading up on you. Incredibly pressive resume my brother, political commentator, author, lawyer, columnists, media host. University of California, BA degree, Harvard Law School, jd degree Conservative. You understand skip two grades in school and enrolled at UCLA at the age of sixteen, graduating summer Cum Laudie and political science. Later attended Harvard Law School, earning your jd in two thousand and seven. That's pretty damn impressive.
I couldn't have pulled that off. Never did. Major, major props to you. Began your career as a writer, becoming one of the youngest nationally syndicated columnists in the United States of America at the age of seventeen. Over time, expanded into multiple media roles, including as an author, commentator, and speaker. Your wrote book books. You know you got the daily wyas is twenty fifteen the podcast Public Speaking Engagements, etc. Man,
this is impressive. Obviously my resume doesn't compare to yours, and it shouldn't. I haven't earned what you've earned, sir. And I'm not about to go tip for tat for you politically because I don't know as much as you, because I'm a baby at all of this compared to you guys. But I smell something that stinks, and respectfully, sir, it's you with your opinion about Derek Chauvin being pardoned.
Notice how you went the liberal route as if I don't have conservative friends, they aren't conservatives that I would support their own conservatives I would have voted for. I told everybody that this election, ou'd vote for anybody but Trump. Maybe not the scentus. After he brought up how this benefits the slavery, I didn't like that, and I ain't
liked how folks piggybacked off of that. I just have an ultra level of sensitivity to that because there's everyday life that we're talking about here, and if you don't harbor a level of sensitivity as to how it affects communities other than your own, when you take such positions. I have a hard time being supportive of you in that regard, but I would have voted for Christy, probably
would have voted for Ramaswami. I definitely would have voted for Nikki Hilly Back in twenty sixteen, I definitely would have voted for Kasis without question. I would have voted for Marco Rubia. I'm proud to see Marko Ruby as the Secretary of State. I think he's going to do a great job. He's more than qualified a support of Ted Cruise, if I remember correctly. I ain't like the whole Tea Party thing, but I respected it. I respected
where they were coming from. Less government intervention, free market capitalism, controlling our borders. I'm not against those messages. Sir, you and I might have some things in common. Benshapier, you don't even realize. Not this to stop attaching me to the left that I criticized all the time, because I'm sick of that. What they've done, I apologize, got a dollar back. Stop connecting me with the liberals. I'm disgusted
with them. I think they've let us down a bad path, and they've led their own party down a path of destruction. I've heard you allude to such things, and I agree with you. They better get that act together. They seem to have lost their mind. But getting back to Derek Chauvin, you know, Ben Shapiro, you brought up fentanyl, that being
in this system, you brought up his criminal record. I have it all in front of me, nineteen ninety seven to two thousand and seven, nine separate occasions in which authorities arrested him, mostly on drug and theft charges that resulted in months long jail sentences. I got it right here, I got it right here. Ben, also have the autopsy. I'll read a couple of graphs to you, Ben, because it doesn't change. See it right there, Ben, see that right there, And let me read this to you.
Ben.
According to the County's post mortem toxicology screening, which is summarized below, was before one day after George Floyd's death, he was intoxicated with fentanyl and had recently used meth amphetamines as well as other substances before Chauvin choked him. And you see the stuff on the bottom, it's right there.
Let me read a couple of other graphs to you, Ben. Firstly, on May twenty nine, twenty twenty, court documents revealed the Hennepenn County Medical Examiner's investigation in the Floyd's death showed quote no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxiation, and that potential intoxicates and pre existing cardiovascular disease quote
likely contributed to his death. Note Coronary artery disease and hypertension typically increased patient's risk of stroking heart attack over the years, not minutes, and aphixia or suffocation does not
always leave physical signs, according to doctors. But then, two days later, the county released a statement that attributed Floyd's cause of death to cardio pulmonary arrest, complicating law enforcement, subdual restraint, and neck compression, which essentially means he died because it's hard and lung stopped while he was being
restrained by police. That announced became just hours after Floyd's family released findings of a separate private autopsy that determined Floyd that indeed died from a combination of chauvins neil and pressure on his back from the other officers. Let me get back to you specifically, mister Ben Shapiro, wouldn't you agree that certain things don't have anything to do
with politics. When police officers for the LAPD beat the living crap out of Rodney King in the early nineties, do you believe those officers should have been let off as he was on the ground, writhing in pain, rolling around as they beat him mercilessly with their patons gonna, I'm gonna. I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you probably thought that was wrong. My point, Ben Shapiro, is how much evidence do you need to see to understand that something was at the
very least a contributing factor. See, you're trying to go down the lane. I wasn't trying to go down. I'm not gonna let you take me there, which is why I turned down your invitation to appear on your show. We're not getting into all of the science and what the doctor said and autopsy report, even though I just read it to you to some degree, we don't have to go there. I'm simply saying, did you not see
him handcuffed behind his back? If he's handcuffed behind his back and laying on the ground, Ben Shapiro, why does the knee need to be on his neck? You can go out. I saw the reports that Candice Owens did as she was undressing Black Lives matter. By the way, you're looking at somebody who's been critical of Black Lives Matter myself. Once we learned some of the things learned, what I'm saying to you is it doesn't negate what officers Chauvin did. There was no reason to have a
knee on his neck. We're literally going to get into Oh there was drugs in this system. Oh, you know he has an arrest record. What does that have to do with the knee being on the neck of a man laying on the ground, handcuffed behind his back? Why why laid on his back compressed to such a degree that there was imprints and scars on his face from being pressed against the pavement by the knee of Derek Chauvin. It wasn't just me. Mark Levin said that. Numerous other
conservative hosts said that, I know for a fact. Sean Hannity said that, you don't want to quote him either. Could it be that you were a bit late to the party supporting Trump. You know how they are late to arrive early to leave. That wasn't him. He was supporting Trump from day one when people like yourself and Glenn Beck and others said that ain't the way to go. Is that something that that's something that's why you can't vibe? Am I missing something, bit, Shapiro. I'm a moderate who
can lean in either direction. I have friends on both sides. I might have voted liberal the vast majority of my life, pretty much always when it comes to the presidency. But I'm not beyond acknowledging that some conservative policies work, and some conservative people are better candidates, damn sure for sure than those on the liberal side. Somebody like a Byron Donald, if he runs for the governor, for the governor of Florida, I'll probably vote for him. I'd vote for West Boyder,
Democrat for the president any day of the week. That has nothing to do with this conversation, Ben Shapiro. The knee of Derek Chauvin was on George Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, as he said he couldn't breathe, as he cried for his mama, and as numerous people were there filming it and taking pictures pleading with the police officer to get his knee off his neck, He didn't move. He did everything short of laughing in people's face while he at the very least contributed to snatching
the breath of life from this man. And you're coming to us with a criminal record and fence and all or whatever other drugs was in his system to say, well, that's not that's what really killed him, not the knee on the neck. Well, if the knee hadn't been on his neck, would he had died in that instant right there. It's not like he died because he was laying on the ground with his handscuffed behind his back. That's not what happened. He died because there was pressure on his
back and his neck from shoving another officers. That's what happened. Don't come to me with all of this stuff. Don't accuse me with you know, identity politics and liberals and we're racializing everything. If a black police officer had his knee on George Floyd's neck for nine and nine plus minutes, there would have still been riots in the streets at that time.
Period.
All I'm saying is, of all the things you could think of as deserving for a pardon for somebody incarcerated, this is the case you could try to bring up left and right and all that stuff. I'm not bringing up conservatism, I'm not bringing up liberalism. I'm not bringing up progressivism. I'm bringing up you, you with this issue, nothing else. I don't know enough about your other positions, but I know you're strong support of Israel's where you
should be. I get your background. I understand. I know you're a strong conservative, free market capitalism, controlling our borders, safety entry, I get it. This ain't about liberal versus conservatives. It's about you. You saw what Derek Chauvin did. Don't come to me with a doctor's report. You saw it with your own two eyes. That's all this is about. So the de bench, Shapiro, listeners of youers out there, keep on watching them, keep on supporting them. I'm not
here to cast any dispersions on him. Just don't let him get away. We're trying to make this more than what it is. This ain't a politically ideological battle, or political ideological battle or anything like that. I ain't qualified to debate this man on those kind of issues. We're talking about. Derek Chaufin with the knee on the neck of George Floyd, and you coming with some report to
justify him being parted. When you saw the video or the man with his knee on George Floyd's neck saying about politics, this is about you deal with that or don't. Either way, I don't care. I just spoke about what I saw. You're entited to do the same anytime you want. I respect the resume, I respect your accomplishments. I wish you nothing but the best. I just disagree with you about Derek Chauvin. Stop trying to hide from that. Talking
about Derek Chauvin. That's what we're talking about. Nothing else coming up. After one hundred and thirty eight days, the time came for me to join the Fellas on Gil's arena. My nephew Josh will join me to react to that discussion. Plus there now audio of the Jane Doe and the Jay Z sexual assault lawsuit telling investigators she was pushed to name the mogul in her lawsuit. Damn. But first he fought Davonte Tank Davis and what was ruled the majority drawer. Now he's coming on this show to make
his case for that rematch, that eminent rematch. I'm talking to the one and only Lamont Roach Junior, former that the waight champion of the world some people's eyes, should be the lighted weight champion in the world. He's up next right here. I'm Stephen Nasmith Show Lord Way, Welcome back to the Steven A. Smith Show, Ladies and gentlemen. At the beginning of this much marsh First, I'm not
gonna lie. I expected to see a knockout. I expected to see it come at the hands of Javonte Tank Davis against a dude that I thought was undersized, that I thought was not on the same level. And my god, was I wrong. So I thought it was apropos that on this particular day, more than a week after, Lamont Roach showed up at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York, and let everybody know, yo, I'm no joke either, y'all
must y'all don't know who the hell I am. I'm here to reintroduce him to the world, a guy that many believes should be the lightweight champion of the world in the sport of boxing. The one and only Lamar Roach joins me right now. What's going on, man? How you doing? How's everything?
I'm good, my brother, I'm good man.
How are you look, look, man, let me get this out the way I thought. Listen, here was my thinking. You're a former featherweight champion. You undersized you moving up, I saw ten KOs you were twenty five and oh with ten Ko twenty five to one, rather with ten KOs on your record, and I said, damn, an undersized dude is going into the ring with Javonte Tank Davis. Man, I don't like this. He's undersized. This is not fair. This is not fair at all. And then you stepped
in the ring. Did it look undersized? You certainly worried, devoid a skill, and in a lot of people's eyes, including myself, if you take into account him taking the knee, one could easily argue you should have won this fight. I owe you an apology, my brother. I did not know because I had never really seen you fight before, because I ain't watching a bunch of featherweights. I'm a busy man, and I never really saw you before other
than highlights to watch you in that fight. You walked to Javonte Davis from date from opening tap and you were marvelous. My brother congratulates. I was wrong, damn it, I was wrong. Look, look, Lamart wrote America this is who this brother is. My apologies, my brother, My apologies.
Man, It's all good. Just like how you had your prediction, a lot of a lot of others had the same thing, and it's to your point, like you said, a lot of people haven't seen me, and that's that's the whole thing. I always knew that I was on the same level as as a Jamon j Kang Davis or anybody that's a top pound of pound talent because I put my work in. I've been here for a long time. I'm a student of the game, and I'm always getting better and I always try.
To be the best. So that's what really drives me. And the fact that we have history. So you know, it's just like a whole.
Lot of that went hand in hand, and you know it was my moment. I've been telling everybody since the fight got announced. I mean telling everyone. If you go look at all my interviews, all my pre fight, you know, talks, I've been I've been telling y'all like I'm I'm really I'm.
Really that, But did right you all you're convinced me I'm no longer doubt. Let me be let me be very very clear about that. But when you say y'all have history at re educate us about that. What what is the history with Javonte Tank Davis or what was it leading up to this fight?
Well, we probably met each other when I was probably like ten here, a year older than me, so it was probably like eleven. I started boxing after him. But uh so when I came in and boxing, now, yo, ten years, I already knew who he was because he was already you know what I'm saying, like a self proclaimed good fighter in the area DC and Baltimore. Uh you know, they fight, They fight each other or fight in the same you know tournaments, the local tournaments.
So I've been seeing them since a kid.
We sparred, We sparred a lot, probably thirteen fourteen, and then we fought. We finally fought when we was fix when I was fifteen, and you know, he beat me, but I thought, you know, I thought I won. You know, we sent the video to the USA Boxing like the entire fight, and they was like, well, maybe that shouldn't have went away. So they sent me an at large bid to the Nationals and they put us on two different sides of the bracket and we met up in the championship and he beat me in a close fight.
I think I won that one too, but he beat me in a close fight number one and two in the nation. So leading up to that fight, mind you, I already know his tendencies and just because he's evolved as a fighter period, like obviously one of the best fighters in the world. He's evolved as a fighter, but so have I and the fact that I know certain things about him, like how to me.
I think he tends to doubt himself.
He even told you on the Gloves Off Special that his fear is getting embarrassed or losing. You just not the sport to be fearful, and that you gotta be a gladiator, just a gradiator sport. So I know certain things about him that you know that our game plan was was drawn up a ground and you know we executed it.
To the to the team, what was your game plan going into this fight? Because I you know, listen, let me let me let me preface my question to you by saying this, because I think it'll give you an appreciation for where I'm coming from. So he's getting ready to fight Frank Martin, right, and Frank Martin is annoying the living hell out of him because he's telling, you know, telling a story about how they were sparring and he shook him up a little bit and whatever, and Gavonte
was like, ooh, he said that that never happened. That never happened. And then he looked at him, and this is when I knew Frank Martin was in trouble. He said, you, you really really should have waited. You took this fight a little bit too early. You really really should have waited. And that's what Javonte David said to him. And sure enough,
to fight began and he instantly stalked Frank Martin. Whereas with you, I was expecting the same with you, Bro Laman, I was expecting you know, I'm thinking, I'm thinking you the smaller guy in the ring, that is, you know, and I'm like, he's gonna come out, he's gonna back up, Davonte, gonna go right at it, and me gonna stark him. But one I interviewed Davonte before the fight, and he didn't talk about you the way he talked about about Frank Martin. And number two, once the fight started, you
walked right to him. I said, oh shit, what what is this? You know, I'm like, what's going on here? So talk to me. What was the strategy going into the fight against him?
The strategy was just be confident and do what I know how to do. I got a lot of twos in my two bag. I can fight on the back foot, I can fight coming forward, but my comfort zone is right there in that pocket.
And you know, once I took his best shot, I already knew it was like I was like, all right, this canna be a long.
Night for him, because at the end of the day, that's where I'm That's where I'm in my best when I when I'm right there in that pocket, Like trust me, I got other fastest in my game that I'm very good at, but I'm the most.
Confident right there in the pocket.
And then once I knew he couldn't bother me, like, I still had to be cautious because I see why he knocked people out. But when I took his best shot, I was like, oh, yeahs old, okay, start right there.
When exactly do you say you took his best shot? Which round did that happen in?
I want to say like five or six.
I know one shot he hit me with I know he was so one shot he hit me with, I kind of knew he was going to punch me, Like I seen it. I jabbed him and I jabbed at him, and I already seen him going back. I was like, oh shit, I about to get hit, and he did. He actually punched me. He took the power off and let the speed. He let the speed take over. So I'm like, oh, he's not trying to thump. I'm like, let me see, let me see what he's trying to do.
And then I think in the fifth round or something like that, he was talking trash was like, I thought you hit harder than that, and I was like, shit, I thought you hit harder than that too, And that's when he that's when he loaded up in like some body shot. And I was like, oh, yeah, he don't got like power wise, haven't got that for me. But one thing he is I mean, let me not say that, but one thing he's very good at is being accurate
and hitting people in the chin. So and I think that's what plays into my game where all around I think I'm the better fighter, the best, the best fighter he's been in the ring with. But defensively, I know one hundred percent for a fact that I'm very I'm better defensively than any fighter he's fought, and that's what played into That's what played a big role into the fight. A lot of stuff I was blocking, perrying, hitting gloves, and countering.
So when you say you know you're the best of defensive fighter he ever fought, do you believe in his eyes that you were preparation, say for somebody likes your course Stevenson, who's considered to be a marvelous defensive fighter. Do you think that's what he was thinking, that that's what he was doing in this particular fight.
No, And I'm gonna tell you why. He had two guys in his corner. Well, everybody in this corner was very familiar with me, but very Hunter and and big Bug that he brought into be the lead trainers in his in his uh in his camp, very familiar with me. My last two three camps before the tank camp, I was over there sparring for damn near every fight. So yeah, so you know, they seen they know what I can do, like they do, And I think one hundred percent for a fact, they told him like, all right.
You know we're gonna work on what we're gonna work on.
But you've been that's like, that's a bad boy. They put warned them, like and he knows too, Like he knows like he knows, he knows. He could see, he could see like I'm not championing for a reason, Like I'm not champion for no reason. I beat the same guy he beat no, and I thought it was pretty you know, he didn't do the same things that he did to Tank Hector. Luise got here, heck Louise go. He was in the pocket when he fourteen. When he was fighting me, he was on cat and mouse, trying
to get in and out and stuff like that. And it's just like, I just I shut down a lot of things that a lot of a lot of fighters have, and that's that's what I'm good at.
When he took a knee, what was that about. I mean, it's one thing for us to sit up here and say, y'all, he took a knee, We really didn't see him heurt or whatever. It's one thing for him to say he had got his hair done and some grease got in his eye. Whatever, And listen, he's too great for me to question whether he's telling the truth.
Or not.
But that's me. You're the one that's in the ring, that was in the ring with him. You're the champion. Why did Javonte Davis take that knee in your in your opinion?
And one of his many answers, he did say that his eye was irritated. I'm gonna tell you right now, it wasn't from the grease or nothing like that. This was the ninth round. It's seven eight. It's just eight other rounds where you didn't. You wasn't wiping your eyes. You wasn't irritated, none of that.
I'm not trying to hear that.
When I punched him in one, you can see it. When I hit him with the right hand, the first right hand, you could see him wipe his his left eye. When I hit him with that second jab that actually hit him in his eye, he wiped it out. He tried to wipe it like it was irritated. He backed up, looked at the reft and took a knee. That's from a punch. And even if even if I didn't land that, you cannot voluntary take an You can't.
That's the rule that's given. That's giving yourself up. That's like Okay, I need a break. You can't take a break in the middle of a ram. Only the referee can stop the action.
So with that being said, it's fair to say you believe you won this fight, that you should be the lightweight champion of the world. Is the aspiration or rematch with him or is it the biggest fight you can find at the lightweight division. Some could argue it's him, you know, I think it's him, But who knows what you as a fighter think in terms of cats at one forty because the way you moved up to one
thirty five. Me damn, I can't. I can't rule out you going to fight at one whether it's I look at you and I say you can beat Devin Haiti, you know you you you. I'd love to see you against your course, Stevenson, I mean tia Fimo Lopez at one fort I mean I'm lamont roaches on the mat right now, or you understand that's where I'm at in a lightweight division and in that area junior waltsweight lightweight division. I don't want to hear anybody talking about anybody else
without your name being in the mix. That's official right now, So is the rematch with Javonte David's your top priority or is it something else?
The rematch is definitely my my top priority, and it's close to being a done deal just to let you guys go, h you know, wearing talks. So I don't want anybody to say, oh, I'm ducking.
The rematch or anything like that. That's my top priority.
So if we don't fight, it's something on it, and I'm gonna tell y'all that right now. If we don't fight, it's something on that. In my first contract had a rematch clause in it, so with the first fight, in case he lost or in case he drew, in case we drew, there's an immediate rematch clause in effect.
So that's how that's what it is.
What do you think you're going to see? I mean, is it one of those situations where you think he's gonna come out? Assume I'm assumed the rematch is gonna happen, because I give him credit for this as a champion who was undefeated and had all the sizzle in his direction in terms of name recognition and all of that. He's the one that brought up the rematch instantly before they even interviewed you. They interviewed him first, and he didn't run from a rematch. He was like, let's do
it again. So I'm gonna give him credit for that. Do you think that was his way of saying, this ain't the best of me. I really wasn't as ready as I'm gonna be in fight number two? Or do you think you gonna see more to say.
I'm gonna go ahead in the gate that this this isn't the best of me for for a good fight. It's just that I was the better man that night.
No, I'm not saying I'm not I'm not saying I'm not saying I'm saying that. I'm saying, have given that indication?
Yeah, yeah, No, for sure, Like if anything, if anything, he for the damn good fight. If he didn't fight a good fight off him would have I would have did a lot more damage. I'm gonna tell you that right now. He was fully aware. He was trying to be as defensively as sound as possible. You know, he was trying to preserve himself. He fighting spurts, you know, that's how he get a lot of them guys, and getting a lot of them guys to uh to wear their self out and then next thing you know, he
doing the hunt. I'm an old school fighter, bro, I'm like a fifteen round fighter.
I can fight. I can fight forteen.
Rounds straight and at the break that I do no no, no pulling, no punches for nothing. So I would say he's gonna come back with He's gonna come back with a vengeance. He's gonna come back.
With a vengeance.
He's not a guy that that that that would take lightly to a draw, a loss, whatever the case may be. Uh, he's not used to people ridiculing him saying that they think he lost a fight or he's not used to that. So I think he comes back with a vengeance. I think he comes back with a better game plan. And but trust me, trust me when I tell you I'm gonna come back the same way because I feel like I was robbed of a victory. So I gotta get I gotta do what I gotta do to make sure the job is complete.
And what would we see different from you in the rematch than he saw on March first.
Just to press the action just a little bit more earlier. I'm still I'm still confused as to how the judges. All three judges gave him five of the first six rounds, five of the first six six rounds, and I still managed to get a draw. It's no way he won round one. No way he won round two and round three could have been a toss up. But if I win those two rounds on the scorecards again, I still win a unanimous decision.
It's no way.
He didn't land a punch until the third round. He threw about three punches one or like two or three punches the first two rounds. So I'm trying to figure out if I'm the aggressor, I'm initiating the action. I'm on the front foot, and I'm securing you know what I'm saying, like little shots. They might not have been big, huge scoring blows, but I'm the only one that's landed.
How do you win those rounds?
So so that's that's the thing that I probably capitalize on and hopefully to make him pick up his output too.
We will see how we want see how he really work. If he's gonna pick his output up, he ain't gonna have no choice. I'm gonna make him work. I'm gonna make him thinking. I'm gonna make him work. That's what we did the first fight.
What's the outcome of the second fight? The rematch?
Lamar and the new and the new two time division two division champion Lamar Rose Jr.
Yo, Bro, nobody fights for free these days, at least they shouldn't. Everybody should get paid. You deserve it, my brother. I apologize. I thought you listen. I thought I thought I was gonna see a smaller fighter stepping into the ring against Tank Davis, and I thought he was gonna take you out inside of seven rounds.
Bro.
Until I saw you into the ring. Until I saw you, I said, he's not smaller, he's not smaller.
And then all the.
Time like and then you walk right to him, and then I saw you take his punch. I said, oh my god, who is this dude? Man, Love and respect to you. You deserve it, no doubt about it. You on the map, I ain't no question. Get your paper because you deserve it. Make sure you're gonna do this rematch right, You're gonna get paid more right, make sure.
That Michelle, Michelle, it's gonna be. It's gonna be one of the most sought out fights of the year. You got gotta think we got a superstar Javon, Tank Davis, power puncher and piggybacking off the first fight.
What else could you expect? So it's gonna be pot work.
Lamar Roach, appreciate you, my brother, Proud of you, happy for you, happy your name is on the map. And you know you're gonna have that rematch against Avante. That that's gonna be one of the biggest fights, if not the biggest fight of the year. Wants it to Greed the Pond. There's no question about it. You deserve it. You deserve this reach just rematch, my brother. You deserve it and you deserve all the praise you getting because of it. I got to stand down and give it
to you, and I don't like to do that. I don't like to do that unless it's earn. It was earned in your case, Bro, much love to you, well deserved, my man. I'll see you around right. You take care of yourself all right?
Thank you?
Ireciated greatly.
You take any so too, No doubt went only lamar Roach right here, Stephen A Smith show brother can fight, brother can fight, y'all. Ain't some situation where you know he caught him and rocked him.
Or what not.
Nah, he stepped in the ring from round one to round twelve to right in front of him and box his ass off. It's just the truth. It's just the truth. Coming up, I'll pay tribute to a former NBA sixth man who became a billionaire in his post NBA career. You all need to know the story of Junior Bridgeman straight ahead. Also, attorney Tony Buzzby could be in hot water after this client was recorded saying jay Z did
not sexually assault her. But first highlights from my appearance on Gills Arena yesterday, and my nephew Josh has some thoughts to share on what he saw all that and more up next right here on the stephen A. Smiths Show and go away. Welcome back to Stephen A. Smith Show. Now let's get to my much anticipated appearance on the Gills Arena podcast. To be clear, those aren't my words. This came from the crew who accused me of ducking the show for more than one hundred and thirty eight days.
So yesterday I sat down with Gilbelderenis Kenya Martin and Rashard mccantz and Nick Young and of course Josiah Johnson for nearly three hours. We talked about several topics, including my running with Lebron James, where everyone seems to have an opinion. Of course, so check this out before I bring in my next guest.
What do you make of Lebron infront of you? In the aftermath of that situation, I.
Thought it was weak. I thought it was some bullshit, But in the moment, I knew that I was listening to a father. I remember.
During the time out in the first quarter seeing Bronnie, and Bronnie looked over at me and he had this sad look on his face, and I'm imagining Pops.
Sore that shit. You hit him, man, and he could hold it and he rolled up with me. Isn't it weak?
Though?
Like when you think about it, you know he wasn't ready rights as a father.
You're still a father to your son.
You're still trying to praise them and make them feel like they're worthy of playing basketball because they can get.
Discouraged at any moment in time.
Right, So I'm pretty sure every game he's over.
The life you got it, don't worry about they just go out there and play the game. That's that part of it.
The NBA part knows he's not ready yet, right, but as the father part him sitting there nervous and shit, you're lie, hey, relax, you're gonna go out there and play. At what point when he gets drafted fifty five, do you supposed to sit back and be like, all right, there's nothing to talk about here.
He's fifty five.
He wasn't seventeen, he wasn't a first run.
His draft status actually, let you know what he was all he had to do this. Listen, I got this moment with my son. All right, Now it's time to go to the G league and do what you're doing.
And.
Or let the draft happen organically. And if somebody's going to draft, let them draft, like you know, no, just just for ships and giggles, all right. What if somebody at forty four wanted to know I'm just for ships and giggle you know, I get right? What but forty four wanted to pick him?
Right? Yes, so you're gonna stop.
Yes, lord, because he wants to play with his kid. He don't want to see his kids, don't want to see his kid.
Yeah, okay, he wants to play on the stone. I think that's way different that's way different, and here's why my son could have died.
Yes, I've been in the league twenty one years, right, so what is going on? I've been in the league twenty one years. What is dream to be in the NBA? I've been in the league twenty one years.
I missed.
Nineteen to twenty years of his life. You know how we are as parents, We're in, we're out, we're in, we're out.
My first born with my name almost passed, and.
You're telling me that I'm gonna keep I'm gonna keep playing this league to miss this fuck No, this is gonna be the first time in my career where I get three hundred and sixty fucking five.
Days with my son. But what is Bronnie's dream?
Briannie's dream was to be in the NBA. My dream was this. I don't give a fuck where I get drafted. I just want to hear my name. So why dream?
So therefore, what I'm saying is that was his dread that happened organically. Listen, I told y'all seeing this motherfucker, I was a bigger wreck on Kj's draft day than he fucking wou right, right, for sure, he should be a bigger wreck. I'm trying to stay away from him because I don't want him to fit since this.
Shit, right right, So yeah, I wanted more than.
He fucking want, right, absolutely, But it's his dream and his journey, is what I'm saying.
With you.
I'm saying, yes, Gil, Yes, absolutely, hear his name called by for any fucking team.
Right for anything, Which means that when we're talking about the Lakers, that's about Lebron, not Bronnie. Bronni wanted to get drafted by any NBA team. He wanted to hear his name. It was Lebron that wanted him as his teammate. For Lebron up here and you know you're up here. He don't give a fuck. The problem is when it comes to the media. God damn it, I'm up here.
We all know what happened with me and Lebron. I I don't give it if I never speak to him again in life, And I'm sure he feel the same way. If that man had something going on in accron O Hire with the kids while here with the kids, Yo, man, we need Steven ahelp. What you need it ain't got nothing to do with us. What you need. I don't need to say anymore. That encapsulated everything. I was there for three hours, White frankly tired of talking about it.
It is what it is. You know, everybody knows where I stand now, what happened, and that's that. But my nephew was there. He was in the house and he was out there in La with me, and for a change, he wasn't styling and profiling. He was just there hanging with his uncle, listening intently for a change, and I was very, very proud of him for doing that. Actually, like his outfit right now. It looks nice. What's going on, Josh? How you doing? Man?
None much, just being rich and you know, living life. You got on my shirt today.
No, this is mine, Josh, it was my shirt.
Listen.
It's slowed down on the creatine and the muscle milk.
You're busting out of it. That's not just us. But when you talk about my style, that's it's not your size. It's not your size, but.
It's my size.
It is to show your cuts, and then I don't appreciate it.
It's a sports shil that's because you're not in the gym. You're too busy looking pretty. You're looking in the mirror all the day going time. I got news for you. If you went to the gym, you would notice there's a lot of mirrors there, so you could look at yourself all the time. You should try it.
No, I don't want to waste my time. I got other things to do with this body. Anyway. What you talking about the Gilbert Arena?
What did you do? You would you were there the whole for the whole damn near three hour interview? What were your thoughts of it? Man?
I feel like y'all wasted a little bit too much time on that w W E moment. We know nothing was gonna happen at that at the Crypto Arena, But I wanted you all to talk about because I watched the show.
All the time.
They they're good at you know, Are you in the talent versus greatness? Because that's where I come in because I don't value all little like the rings and the all NBA teams that y'all vote for and stuff like that.
I go with for what I see.
So I wanted you to go in there, and I wanted all of y'all to put put together like a starting five of players minus the accomplishments, just about how nice a player is. When I say nice, we from New York, so I'm nice as different Stephan Marberry, Kenny Anderson like just nice, not your resume. So if I asked you to give me five, what would it be. We're not talking rings, we're not talking resumes. Just nice five and don't.
Put just nice. But when you say just nice, I could I could retort by asking the question, Josh are you talking one on one? Are you talking five or five team NBA basketball? When are you're talking about?
No?
No, no, It comes in the lines of an NBA player. Like I said, when I name nice, I'm talking Kevin Durant, who's not in the goat conversation. But if you want to talk about the nicest players that you've ever seen play, he's in the top five.
I don't disagree with that. I think that Kevin Durant is maybe the greatest scorer we've ever seen. So he's a professional scorer, he's something, he's something special to behold. I don't have a problem with that.
But you would to put him in your top five with resident with his resume?
Let me ask you a question, would you put him ahead of Kobe.
I would they in the top five? Kevin Durant to be my.
Okay, right, would you put Lebron in the top five? Na, you wouldn't put Lebron in the top five.
I'm doing in position. Kevin Durant is the nicest small forward I've ever seen.
So you put Kevin Durant ahead of Lebron.
As far as being nice, Yeah, you'd put.
Kobe Bryant in top five? So who would you? So where would you put Jordan?
He he wasn't nice like that? That's the resume talking right there, the six to six and stuff like that. If we've seen him playing in the park, were picking Kobe. We're not twenty four Kobe eight. Kobe Athletics still jumpers. I'm not with the Jordan stuff.
And you know that, Josh, there's nobody that would pick Michael jordans they saw Michael Jordan. There's nobody that would pick Michael Jordan, that would pick anybody ahead of Michael Jordan.
Talks you saw, if you saw, if you saw Michael Jordan, I've seen him, you would not pick anybody ahead of Michael.
George's telling me my opinion, this is what I'm talking about this media stuff.
All right, so you got two more. Who's the point guard?
Who's your power forward?
Janni's yeah, I don't want to doing over jump hooks all day.
I don't so so in other words, so, in other words, Yanna's dunking on everybody but struggling to do almost anything else.
He gets his own shot on a fast break, he'll run it by hisself. He's dunking on you. He used to shoot a little bit. He not even he don't even he don't even want to shoot no more. I'm saquille o Neil. Now I'm wearing number thirty and but.
You you you taking out rings because Tim Duncan's got five rings. You're just taking out rings.
Okay, all right, it matters. I want to want to see you play. I don't want to see jump hooks, all right.
Where what's Kevin Garnett? Where would he be in that?
Not better than your honest man? He right, he'd probably be second, okay? And your center is who gotta go with?
Joker? Wow? Your kitchen? Yeah, I mean the way he looks in this day and age is the walking triple double. I mean, you know we come from the day's Kareem map dude, Jabbar you you take him over Shaq too? Right, that's what you're saying. You know, Chapman is dominant force of my life.
Would Shaq would be second? Kareem ain't even.
Who's your point guard?
Josh Seth? That was easy, yep?
Okay, all right, all right? What else did you take from the Gilbert Arena this interview?
It was it was a little lengthy, and I seen him looking at me like they wanted me to come on the stage. But I gave you all y'all moment. I'm like, when me have y'all moment. It was missing me for sure though three hours no me. I got some new laws here too.
Out it you guys. So what some new laws from when we twenty twenty eight? I saw, Yeah, we got the money now yeah laws?
Yeah. Do I have to listen to this?
I mean, you don't have to do this. One is for the women. The des for the women.
I need.
I need the women to wake up a little bit. So I'm gonna get started.
If you're gonna interrupt me, make sure it counts new female lords. I'm trying to fix America, one relationship at a time. This how y'all talk when it's the presidency like this. Yeah, if you talk while the game is on, you're getting fond. On Sundays, we're gonna honor something called selective listening, meaning I'm listening a little bit.
Make it count when you too. Oh, I like that one.
I like it. I like that one.
I like that one.
Okay, go ahead, go ahead, Yo. Dead clock is right twice today. One to the.
Right there.
Emotional range act. Yeah, appreciate your role. Let me tell you a story. So I had a living situation. Right, I had a living situation. The girl cooked. Hold on, the girl cooked. We ate, then she like, you know, I'm going to bed now I'm tired. Oh, you're not gonna do the dishes.
I cook.
Also, we gonna tip it tat all right, I'll do the dishes and then we go to bed. Somebody bangs on the door. They play like that in the hood.
Bangs on the door. Oh my god, somebody's at the door. So I roll over. I'm like, all right, well you let me know who it is. It's your turn. I did the dishes. You know what I'm saying. We're gonna turn turn. Either either appreciates your role or not.
We'll be doing here. Last one privacy Act. You touch my phone, you're going to jail. And I want to know who's wrong first? Get up and sit up at the mic. Because I started. I started a show on YouTube, The Josh Smith Show. Everybody want to know where to find me. They want to advice and stuff like that. I am an advisor.
You can catch me on YouTube.
You too, So I have I have one last question. Though I see your face, you look a little confused.
I have a question.
You started a YouTube show without my permissioner.
Mission, that's right, you paid for it.
Yeah, so look, one last question, right, So the privacy the Privacy Act.
I want to know this.
If a girl goes through my phone finds out that I might have cheated? Who was wrong first?
You?
Why am I wrong first?
Because you cheated?
She violated my privacy and found out I cheated? So who's wrong first?
But you cheated? But you became before the violation. She don't know that you you you cheat, but you know that you said who?
You said? What was first? You know what you did?
No?
But I but I asked you what was first? Who was wrong first? Was she wrong? She didn't know that I did it. She went through my phone.
You knew, you knew, Okay, so when she was doing little sneaky ninja moves to figure out my code and stuff like that.
Was that wrong? Was that wrong with about me being sleep with her checking my breathing?
It's it's it's it's wrong if she can't deal with what she's liable to find out, you know, because what she should do is get rid of your ass.
Okay, I shouldn't get rid of her, But.
The point is, But the point is if she elects not to you understand that, then you just digging in there, and then you messing with your own conscience and your own stress or your own tranquility. You're really messing with it, then that's problematic, But it doesn't absolve you.
I ain't said that was exalt. I just said who was wrong? First?
She went through my phone and violated my privacy? You always taking up for them. But I see why.
When you come back to town tied to the split screen stuff.
You like sitting in my seat. You wouldn't be sitting there if I wasn't there. If I was there, you wouldn't be sitting there. So you should be happy.
I do, but I do want to go back there later.
Yeah, you can go next year. Good Bye, Get the hell out of here. I got stuff to finish up. The show made bye go.
Just go, just go.
Let's get into jay Z. In the latest news on a woman who withdrew her alleging that he and showing that he combs raped her when she was just thirteen years of age. ABC News recently obtained a recording where the woman confirms jay Z did not assault her and says her lawyer Tony Busby pushed her to suit him. He's a portion of the recording between the women identified as Jane Doe and to private investigators associated with jay Z, also known as Sean Carter.
But Jasey was you saying he was definitely there, but he had no heart in it, or he was just he was there.
He was just there, but he didn't have anything to do with any sexual acts torture.
It was strictly Yeah, he was the.
One that kind of pushed me towards going forward with.
Him with jay Z. Yeah do you know why.
Meanwhile, Buzzby called the idea that he pushed her tursuing jay Z quote a blatant lie. End quote. He says, quote as far as the suggestion that I pushed Jane Die to bring a case against jay Z, that is a blatant lie that is directly contrary to all the documentary evidence. End quote. Jane Doe has said in the sworn declaration she stands by her claims and dropped a lawsuit because of quote fear of intimidation and retaliation from
jay Z end quote and his fans. She also denied telling the investigators Buzzby sought her out as a client, or that he encouraged her to pursue a false claim against jay Z end quote. This is all over the place. You got reports saying that you know, a recording saying that you know jay Z didn't do anything, a recording from her saying that she was forced to implicate jay Z by a attorney, Tony Busby. Then she comes out in the aftermath of it all and says she stands
by her claims. After Busby obviously says the assertions and the accusations are ridiculous and he didn't no such thing. He didn't compel her force her to do anything. He's been a guest on the show. It's not my job to cast the spurges on him and anybody else.
I could tell you that.
I never believed that jay Z would be guilty of such a thing. Case has been dropped, and there's a lot going on, but in the end, his reputation was smeared, and I think that what we're seeing right now is jay Z setting the framework to go after Buzzby. The jay Z that I know. I don't see lying down and just going away, walking away from all of this. His name was blemished big time, and he lost twenty
million dollars in business, so he says. But most importantly, one could easily have argued it would have been difficult for him to walk into rooms and do business with such an allegation and an assertion being labeled against them. He's not somebody that's gonna take that line down. I just don't see it. I really, really really don't see it. So to me, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Moore's coming down the pike. He is not going to go away, And the more the Jane Doe, the more
Tony Busby deny it, the stronger he's gonna come. He's not gonna fade into the twilight and just let this go. Maybe he will, but I doubt it. I really really doubt it. Before I get on out of here, very very sad note to bring up. Somebody deserves the tribute. He really really does, and you need to know about him for my NBA A billionaire. His name is not Michael Jordan, it is not Lebron James, but you need to know about him. Nevertheless, stick around. We'll close out
to stephen A. Smith Show in a minute. Welcome back to the stephen A. Smith Show. Our last topic today is a tribute to Junior Bridgeman, former NBA player NBA legend, who passed away yesterday after suffering a medical emergency during an event in Louisville, Kentucky. Bridgeman was a former NBA sixth man who rose from modest means to becoming a billionaire in his post playing days. He was also a philanthropist and was recently named as a minority owner of
the Milwaukee Bucks. Walking around in the NBA to day, when we think about somebody like an Irvin Magic Johnson and what he's been able to establish and build for himself in the world of business, when we think about Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brown would it has become.
When we think about the off court excellence of the late great Kobe Bryant in terms of some of his entrepreneurial achievements and accomplishments, think about Lebron James, billionaire in his own right and what he's been able to accomplish. Whenever anybody in NBA talked about somebody who made it big, they talked about Junior Bridgeman. How much of a pioneer he was in that regard, longtime franchisee of Wendy's and Chile's restaurants at one time operating more than four hundred
and fifty locations in twenty different states. Became a bottler for Coca Cola, bought Ebony and Jet magazines, part of a foursome that owns the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Served on the boards of Churchill Downs Racetrack, University of Louisville, and Fifth Third Bank, among others. What do you say? Obviously, NBA players weren't making it much money in the seventies,
and he wasn't a superstar basketball player. Matter of fact, he spent the first several years of his career not even starting, but he was a solid player career thirteen point per game scorer, played for Milwaukee the first ten years of his career, the Clippers the last two. I've never seen anybody in the NBA circle so universally respected and revered because of his business acumen and his business accomplishments.
And on a day like today, we take a moment to pay homage to those achievements when we think about what we aspire to be taking our money, no matter how little it is, investing it allowing it to nurture and grow ultimately to the point where we achieve astra nomical wealth. We see it today with player salaries, we see it in rare occasions in the world of business
with former athletes. Practically never have we seen it before, be jump started by a guy came from modest means, wasn't even a superstar in the NBA, but it was a superstar to the superstars because of what he was able to parlay that NBA career into To his wonderful wife Doris, to his children Eden, Justin and Ryan on behalf of everybody here associated with the Stephen A. Smith Show, and of course the entire NBA community and beyond my
deepest condolences and sympathies for your loss. Junior Bridgeman was someone special gone, but he will never ever be forgotten. That's it for this addition to the Stephen A. Smith Show. Until next time, Ladies and gentlemen, Peace and love, God bless