Source: Mike Lawrie / Getty
The
First Take frontman is usually on the front lines of any hot topic or sports debate, but he’s been notably quiet over Josh Giddey. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard is fighting allegations that he had an
inappropriate relationship with a minor after photos with a young woman popped up on social media last week.
Given how serious it is, Smith has remained tight-lipped on the subject, but now he’s finally revealing why he’s stayed quiet: the law.
During a segment on
The Stephen A. Smith Show, he explained that opening his mouth could lead to a big lawsuit.
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“He’s 21, we don’t know how old she is,” Smith said. “We don’t know anything. We know there’s an investigation going on. That’s all we know. We don’t know anything else. You know why Stephen A. hasn’t said anything? Because you could get sued, idiots! You don’t just go out there running your damn mouth over something this serious.”
He then takes aim at the haters who critique him for speaking on everything else, adding that there’s still no definitive evidence that Giddey’s in the wrong.
“Some fight that took place on the basketball court, sure. Allegations where the alleged victim is identified, sure. Where the specification of the crime is illuminated, sure. But this clamoring to comment about something with no information, no definitive facts—you can’t do it. You can do it on social media with your troll-ass selves. You can do it then because you don’t have any real accountability.”
The argument spilled onto social media, with Smith responding to
Dez Bryant criticizing
NBA Today’s Malika Andrews’ Giddey coverage,
tweeting, “Your parents really raised you wrong and just because you went to a private school don’t make you better.”
Again,
Smith took to his podcast to urge Bryant to wait on the facts, not wanting to put ESPN in a bad spot before spouting hearsay on TV.
“I respect you, my brother, but that was a bit extreme,” he begins. “Getting on Malika Andrews about this, I believe, is off-kilter. And it’s a bit extreme bringing up her parents, upbringing, and some private school education. Come on, Dez. What if she brought up your stuff?”
Peep the hate Smith’s been getting on X, formerly known as Twitter, below.
