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Pelicans Troll Stephen A. Smith After On-Air Jabs at Zion Williamson

Smith says insiders urged him to target Williamson, a sourcing claim not independently verified.

Overview

  • On Tuesday's First Take, Stephen A. Smith called Zion Williamson a "food addict" and said people inside or close to the Pelicans encouraged broadcasters to "get in his ass" about his weight.
  • Smith also repeated an unverified rumor on-air that Williamson was "busted hiding food under his bed."
  • The Pelicans responded on X with a montage of Smith’s on-camera sports bloopers captioned "Stick to solitaire, Stephen," referencing a viral photo of him playing solitaire.
  • Smith replied on X that he would address the team on the next First Take, escalating the back-and-forth as the posts drew wide attention.
  • The exchange followed Williamson’s ESPN interview about the mental toll of past weight criticism, with many social media users siding with him and accusing Smith of bullying.