Stephen A. Smith's Choice of Starter Pokémon Charmander Goes Viral

Smith's unfamiliarity with Pokémon franchise sparks social media debates

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has gone viral for his choice of starter Pokémon, Charmander, which he picked because it reminded him of himself due to the forehead.
Smith's selection was made during a segment of his show where he takes questions from social media, despite his unfamiliarity with the Pokémon franchise.
His mispronunciations of the Pokémon names and his reasoning for his choice have been widely shared and discussed on social media.
Smith, known for his commentary on professional sports, has been one of the most-watched television personalities in recent years.
His choice of Charmander, a fire-type Pokémon from the first generation of the popular video game franchise, has sparked debates among fans.