ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has always stirred the pot with his commentary. Following rapper Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance Smith questioned why Serena Williams partook in the performance. Smith’s asked the question because Williams is a married mother of two, and while she did once date rapper Drake, whom Lamar has beef with, many called it throwing shade, and Smith was no different.
Whatever Smith wants to call it is his business, but he recently felt the wrath of the legendary tennis player’s husband Alexis Ohanian. During a recent appearance on ESPN’s “First Take,” the Reddit co-founder, investor and entrepreneur didn’t miss at the opportunity to pull Smith’s card. Ohanian came out firing and seemingly pinned Smith into a corner, something you rarely see on the show.
Ohanian Defends 23-Time Grand Slam Winner Wife
“Stephen A., I think you had some marriage advice for me,” Ohanian said during the appearance. Smith didn’t appear to want to address the comments, however, and said, “We can get into that another time.”
Ohanian continued, “I was hoping you were going to be here.” Smith suggested he was “not qualified” to give marriage advice, which got a smile from Ohanian. “I was gonna ask, ’cause, you hadn’t been married before, right?” he said. “’Cause I give advice to plenty of founders who want to build billion-dollar companies. And the reason I do that is because I build billion-dollar companies, so I generally try to stay in my lane.”
It was Ohanian’s way of telling Smith to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth, and especially if it’s not about sports.
Smith Deserved To Be Checked
During the Monday morning episode of “First Take” following the Super Bowl in February, Smith didn’t hold back on his opinion of Williams’ crip walking to Lamar hit diss song “Not Like Us” aimed at the Canadian-born emcee.
“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass,” said Smith on “First Take” in February. “’Cause clearly you don’t belong with me. What you worried about him for and you’re with me? Bye. Bye.” Guest Ryan Clark told Smith to “stop it,” and added, “If you with Serena Williams, you gonna be a kept man, anyway.”
Smith’s comments drew plenty of backlash, with many saying he overstepped his bounds. Williams, who’s arguably the GOAT of tennis, quickly clarified that the appearance and dance was not a shot at Drake, but more so about her and Lamar finally having an opportunity to collaborate after years of trying to.
Williams In Retirement
Since her retirement from the sport, Williams has channeled her focus into her entrepreneur and investor side through her firm Serena Ventures. She and sister Venus (seven-time Grand Slam winner) have ventured into the podcast world with their own called “Stockton Street,” which debuted on Sept. 17.
The podcast unpacks their illustrious careers as well as life after tennis and their sisterly bond and how they’ve always supported one another.
