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Stephen A. Smith is doubling down on sharing an unnamed source's opinion of Jaylen Brown earlier this year on First Take. On the May 24th edition of ESPN's First Take, Smith shared what an unnamed NBA source told him about Jaylen Brown in relations to the topic of if Brown was underrated.
“I wanted to read to y’all what an NBA source just sent me,” Smith said during the segment. “He said, ‘Jaylen Brown. It’s not so much that he’s underrated. It’s that he just not liked because of his ‘I am better than you attitude.’ He knows it. It’s the same reason he is not as marketable as he should be.’ That’s what an NBA source just sent me.”
Brown wasn't a fan of what Smith claimed the source said about him, taking to his X account to post, “State his source”
Prior to the tip-off of the NBA season, Brown sat down with Smith on his The Stephen A. Smith Show podcast to breakdown how he felt about what occurred.
“I basically wanted to say to them that I think it's cowardice,” Brown said. “I think historically, unnamed sources have attacked some of our greats. I/we are not responsible for what they lack and design. Frankly, they can call all their buddies, pals, and friends from all over the world, all the unnamed sources and they can shove it where they got it from.
He continued, “Whether they think I'm marketable or not, I walk with God, I'm gonna be me and stand with my community in this life and the next and that's my journalistic integrity… I never had a chance to respond or defend myself [because] one: They're never gonna reveal themselves and two: The damage is already done… An unnamed source? Like, what is that?”
Gilbert Arenas stepped in the fray on his podcast Gil's Arena, where the former Washington Wizards All-Star guard criticized Smith for his actions and gave his opinion on the importance of NBA insiders.
“Like when you break down their job, the Woj’s and all of them, what do they rely on. All their information about the sport has to come from somebody else because they’ve never done it. So if someone like Woj tells you who’s giving you the information that means he’s not f—-ing important anymore.”
Smith responded on Thursday's edition of his podcast, saying, “Jaylen Brown coming out complaining about the source, he has every right to. It was talking about him, but that doesn’t negate the fact that the source, while not being critical of him personally. Meaning the source felt that way along with the three people that called me afterwards to confirm that what the source was saying in their eyes was true, even though it might’ve been negative about Jaylen Brown. I’m going to repeat they were not personally negative about Jaylen Brown.”
While Smith said he didn't find offense in Arenea's comments, he said that using what unnamed sources say in reports has and will continue to happen in the profession.
“I’m not saying you’re wrong to complain about it, just know you’re whistling to the wind. It took place long before Stephen A. Smith came along and it’ll be here long after I’m gone, that’s a fact.”
