Fans are on their first full week of no New York Knicks basketball, so the last thing that’s needed is a rant from Stephen A. Smith on the state of the franchise. Yet that’s exactly what happened.
Smith, a native of the Bronx, is a commentator on ESPN’s First Take. He’s notorious for screaming on national television, so much so that it’s unusual when he speaks with a level tone.
After failing to make it to the playoffs for the second straight season, it isn’t necessarily a surprise that Smith spent a portion of his time on-air blasting New York.
He didn’t direct his anger toward the players, but instead toward the front-office management, namely James Dolan.
The KNICKS make me SICK!!!! pic.twitter.com/o833MJqLcx
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 12, 2022
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith calls out the state of the New York Knicks front office.
One can argue that Knicks fans want Dolan to do as little as possible when it comes to the team. It’d be better if Dolan didn’t have anything to do with the team altogether.
Smith also called president Leon Rose out, who spoke with MSG Network’s Mike Breen in an interview on the final day of the 2021-22 season. Rose hasn’t made himself available in a press conference since last September.
On the topic of Rose, Smith said that there are “guys in state penitentiaries more accessible than him.” He went on to say that the franchise hasn’t been able to grow because of the “cowardice tendencies” that are continually put on display.
After Smith’s rant went viral, Knicks fans took to Twitter to express their displeasure with what was said.
Stephen A. Smith is by far the worst Knicks fan in existence
— Shaun From TKW (@iHateShaun) April 12, 2022
Who made Stephen a Smith the number 1 Knicks fan.who gave him the green light to represent us.All I ever see is him talking bad about us he don’t even realize we got talent Like Obi RJ IQ Grimes Cam Deuce Sims
— Smoove_AngelfrmPhilly215 (@Smoove_Philly) April 13, 2022
He don’t ever talk about our talent but always try to bring us down
This guy @stephenasmith is an absolute embarrassment. He NEEDS to diss on the Knicks to stay relevant. This is a disgusting display.
— It’s a Hard Knicks Life (@HardKnicksLife) April 12, 2022
You’re the real coward, Stephen A. Smith. For not relying on REAL stories to garner attention and using the Knicks to get the attention you crave. https://t.co/CRB4FVIjbW
Smith considers himself to be a fan of New York, but fans of the team don’t refer to him as one. Since he’s from the city, perhaps he wants the clout that comes along with being a fan of the legendary franchise, but he never has anything insightful to say about the team.
With the exception of the 2020-21 season, the Knicks haven’t had a successful year in nearly a decade. For what seems like the first time in a long time, New York has a promising young core with a bright future.
There’s a lot that’s wrong with the Knicks from an organizational perspective, but New York appears to be back on the rise. And as the team continues to enjoy more success behind RJ Barrett, expect Smith to be on board the hype train.
NY Knicks: 3 ways the team can improve in time for 2022-23 season
Now that the 2021-22 season has officially come to an end for the New York Knicks, here are 3 ways the team can improve in time for 2022-23.