"LeBron James don't win championship without Kyrie Irving": Stephen A. Smith shockingly picks old adversary over Russell Westbrook

Over the years, Stephen A. Smith has not been shy to criticize Kyrie Irving. Nevertheless, he still holds the All-Star guard in high regard when it comes to all-time rankings.

On a recent episode of "The Stephen A. Smith Show," the longtime NBA reporter got into a dialogue about Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook. He thinks the Dallas Mavericks star should be ranked higher because Irving is a former champion.

Stephen A. even went as far as to say that LeBron James wouldn't have won a title in Cleveland if it wasn't for Irving.

"Let me tell you this Kyrie Irving is still a champion LeBron James don't win the championship without Kyrie Irving so as far as I'm concerned I never have Russell Westbrook ahead of Kyrie Irving because Kyrie Irving is a champion," Smith said.

There's no denying that Irving played a key role in the Cleveland Cavaliers winning the 2016 NBA championship.

In those seven games, he averaged 27.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Moreover, he hit the biggest shot of the series over Steph Curry in Game 7.

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Is Stephen A. Smith right to put Kyrie Irving ahead of Russell Westbrook?

Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving are two of the top point guards of their generation. However, Stephen A. Smith brings up a valid argument. It's difficult to put Westbrook ahead of Irving when he has a championship ring in his resume.

It's well known what Westbrook has done in the regular season with his triple-double record. However, he has never had much success in the postseason. He has played alongside just as many talented stars as Irving but was never able to get the job done.

Westbrook had a strong showing in the 2012 Finals with the OKC Thunder, but it didn't result in a ring. Despite posting averages of 27 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists, OKC fell to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Meanwhile, Irving's reputation has taken a hit in recent years, but that doesn't take away from his skill as a player. On the court, there are few as good as him at his position. As he enters his mid 30s, Irving is still one of the most dynamic scoring guards in the NBA right now.

Both players have strong cases, but Stephen A. Smith is right to side with the player who has won at the highest stage.