Kyrie Irving predicts viral Stephen A Smith take and clarifies comments on latter’s $100 million deal

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving sparked controversy online after commenting on Stephen A. Smith’s reported $100,000,000 deal with ESPN. Irving addressed the situation while answering questions on a panel during his livestream on Friday.

Smith reportedly agreed to a five-year, $100 million deal with ESPN in March. He is one of the most recognizable NBA media voices, known for his takes on ESPN’s "First Take." Irving said that because the details of his deal are known, he would discuss Stephen A.’s contract and say that he’s not worth it.

He used his comments on Smith as an example and feared that people would clip his stream and take his words out of context. Which is exactly what happened as clips of Irving saying Stephen A. Smith is "not worth it," have already gotten more than 230K views on X.

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Irving has been away from the court since March after he tore his ACL playing for the Mavericks. Irving made 50 appearances, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 47.3% (including 40.1% from 3-point range).

The Mavericks made it to the play-in tournament without Irving, but were knocked out by the Memphis Grizzlies and finished as 10th in the Western Conference.

Kyrie Irving signed a three-year, $119 million extension with Dallas this offseason. Stephen A. Smith criticized the deal, saying that he felt Irving was lowballed by the Mavs.

"Cooked that fraud": Kyrie Irving sparks fan debates reacting to Stephen A. Smith’s $100,000,000 deal

Fans have reacted to the viral clip of Kyrie Irving's comments on Stephen A. Smith. Many have come after the reporter, saying that he is not worth a $100 million deal.

“Cooked that fraud 😭,” One fan said.

Another fan said:

Said another fan:

Fans continued to question Smith’s value, saying there are players in the NBA and NFL who earn less than him.

One fan said:

Said another fan:

One fan commented:

Stephen A. Smith and Irving share a ton of history, stemming from many of the ESPN reporter’s views about the star guard. He has been one of the most vocal critics of Irving, calling him out for his availability during the pandemic and free-agency decisions. Their dynamic over the years has added to the discourse on social media.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.