Overview
- Stephen A. Smith doubled down on Wednesday that he does not believe a team led by three white players can win an NBA championship, reiterating the view on The Stephen A. Smith Show.
- He stopped short of writing off the Lakers' season, saying they are a playoff team but predicting a second-round exit while praising Luka Dončić, coach JJ Redick, and the new ownership group.
- The remarks drew immediate criticism from other commentators who said race is an inappropriate metric for roster evaluation, with voices such as Emmanuel Acho and Skip Bayless pushing back.
- Those comments arrive as the Lakers sit at 10–2 with Dončić producing MVP-level numbers, a contrast widely noted in coverage that frames the dispute as rhetorical rather than settled on-court proof.
- Reporters pointed to a 1958 St. Louis Hawks title as a historical counterexample and noted the NBA's low percentage of white players as a practical reason such a trio is rare, meaning the claim can only be resolved by the season’s ultimate outcome.