Stephen A. Smith believes Pat Riley's words saved his career: "I wasn't going to kill myself or anything like that"

Stephen A. Smith is one of the most popular sports personalities at the moment. He's covered the NBA for a long time and has gained millions of fans during his career.

Smith has worked for several different companies and publications. He's achieved a lot of fame and popularity at ESPN, the network that fired him in 2009. At this point, Smith did not feel well and said that Pat Riley saved his life.

Speaking to Men's Health, Smith said:

"I wasn't going to kill myself or anything like that," Smith said. "But when I talk about it saving my life, I'm talking about the life that I could have had thereafter."

Riley is a basketball legend who has achieved a lot of success as a player, as well as a coach and an executive. He was familiar with Smith's work and knew how good he was.

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Pat Riley saved Stephen A. Smith's life

Stephen A. Smith got his first big job at The Philadelphia Inquirer. This is where he covered the Philadelphia 76ers and also established a friendship with Allen Iverson, one of the best players in the franchise's history.

Smith's first stint with ESPN came to an end in 2009. He was let go by the company as his contract wasn't renewed. Unfortunately, this drastically affected Smith's life and he was disappointed that he didn't get another opportunity.

Smith has achieved a lot of success as a media personality (Image via Getty Images)

When he was let go by the company, Smith wasn't in a good place. However, Pat Riley believed in him and believed that he would be back. The Miami Heat president said goodbye to Stephen A. Smith, but refused to shake his hand.

"He touched the strings to challenge me to lift myself up," Smith told Men's Health. "It's one of the more emotional moments I've ever had in my career because he was Pat Riley, and he didn't have to do that."

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It turns out that Riley was right. The NBA analyst eventually returned to ESPN and has since become one of its most popular members.

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Where is Smith now and how much does he make?

Despite ending his first stint with ESPN, Smith returned to the company and has achieved a lot of success. He still works with the company and a lot of basketball fans follow his analysis and commentary.

Smith is currently a commentator on ESPN's "First Take."

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The popular analyst makes approximately $12 million per year with ESPN. Considering how amazing and popular he is, there is no doubt that he is worth every cent.