Stephen A. Smith wants fans to know one thing, and he made sure to say it loud on his SiriusXM show, Complex reports. There was no dramatic exit from NBA Countdown, no dispute with ESPN leaders, and no surprise removal from a show he helped carry for more than a decade. The chatter that flooded social media after ESPN revealed its revamped studio team missed the point entirely. According to Smith, the shift came from him, not the network.

Sports Illustrated reported that Smith stepped away months before anyone noticed. Smith said the move became part of his five-year contract talks, which began in the summer of 2024 and stretched into early 2025. From the start, he wanted to transition off Countdown. He enjoyed the show, but the weekly rhythm no longer fit his growing list of responsibilities at the network and beyond.

Smith explained that he needed more time to prepare for First Take and maintain the other projects he leads. “I negotiated coming off it,” he said on-air. He still appreciated the reps on Countdown, yet he made clear that finishing the broadcast and then staying in studio for doubleheaders squeezed the rest of his workload. He wanted space to sharpen First Take and expand his reach across radio, YouTube, and his production company.

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Smith says workload drove the decision, not ESPN

Smith referenced his three decades of NBA coverage and saluted TNT Sports’ Inside the NBA, calling them the “A Team” under ESPN’s new licensing partnership. He said he would gladly appear in Atlanta if the show needed him. His message focused on balance and clarity rather than conflict. The new Countdown group received full support from him as well. He called Kendrick Perkins “my brother,” praised Malika Andrews as “fabulous,” and offered respect for Michael Malone, Brian Windhorst, Shams Charania and the rest of the rotation.

ESPN confirmed its new cast on Monday, November 17. Andrews leads with Perkins, Malone, Windhorst, and Charania joining for the 2025-26 debut on Wednesday, November 19. Smith pushed back on the idea that this came as breaking news, saying the plan had been in place long before ESPN released the graphic.