‘Watch the Whole Thing’ – Kyrie Irving Shuts Down Controversy After Viral Comment on Stephen A. Smith’s $100M ESPN Contract

NBA guard Kyrie Irving sparked controversy during a recent livestream by stating that ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith did not deserve his new five-year, $100 million contract. Irving specifically said, "I’m going to discuss Stephen A’s contract and I’mma say, I don’t think he’s worth it."

Irving quickly attempted to clarify his comments, explaining that his remark was not a personal attack on Smith but rather intended to use Smith as a broader example in a discussion about how media figures are compensated. He anticipated his comments might be taken out of context, urging viewers to "watch the whole clip" because "somebody might try to clip it up."

Despite Irving's clarification attempt, a clipped version of his comments went viral as he predicted. The timing of Irving's remarks is significant, coming just days after he signed a three-year, $119 million contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks, ending weeks of free agency speculation.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that Stephen A. Smith had been one of Irving's most vocal defenders during those contract negotiations. On ESPN's "First Take," Smith had repeatedly argued that the Mavericks "low-balled" Irving, claiming the All-Star guard deserved more than the average of just under $40 million per year he received. Smith contended that Irving deserved at least $43 to $45 million annually, comparing his deal unfavorably to other star contracts in the league and expressing frustration that Irving didn't get the player option that would have paid him $43 million.