Stephen A. Smith’s Latest Sports Slip-Up

Over time, it’s been pretty clear where Stephen A. Smith has stumbled in football discussions. To put it simply, he’s not an NFL player. Remember, there were key players in that game? Well, he wasn’t one of them.

And he’s definitely not a college football player either. I mean, there was a moment when he repeatedly messed up a player’s name, calling Jalen Milroe “Milroy” so often that it was almost comical. It seemed like he got stats all wrong after a College Football Playoff game.

Now, ESPN has him navigating conversations about soccer, which, you know, is incredibly popular. Smith needs to seem credible in that area too, even if he’s not really an expert.

But this time, he wasn’t discussing the NFL or college football, which makes it tougher to excuse the misinformation he spread about the Golden State Warriors. They’ve been a dominating force in the NBA over the past decade.

He mentioned that Steve Kerr hadn’t coached the Warriors since they won the championship in 2022, confidently stating they “haven’t been back to the playoffs since then.” But that statement? Not even close to accurate.

In fact, the Warriors not only made it to the playoffs last year but had also reached the postseason in 2023. Last season, they made it to the second round after beating the Rockets but lost to the Timberwolves. In 2023, they faced the Sacramento Kings first but couldn’t overcome the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.

If someone claimed Smith hasn’t won a playoff series since 2022, that would be technically correct, but he made a much more sweeping claim that the team hadn’t made it to the playoffs at all in four years—except for two times. That’s quite a misunderstanding.

And let’s be honest, this isn’t some obscure detail in NBA trivia that could be easily overlooked. Smith hasn’t been out of the loop; he’s missed only two of the past three NBA postseasons, which is pretty significant for a self-proclaimed top NBA analyst.

This blunder reflects poorly on ESPN as they continuously elevate Smith as a key figure in their NBA coverage.

Stephen A. Smith’s Misstep on Warriors’ Playoff History

Honestly, it wouldn’t be shocking if Smith made this kind of slip while discussing the NFL. At this point, sports fans sort of expect him to dive deep into football, and it’s almost amusing to see his confidence in sharing “facts” that often turn out to be wrong. That’s just part of who he is.

Still, this misstep felt more significant given that the NBA is an area where he supposedly has a solid grasp. It’s a space where he sees himself as an authority.

And yet, here he is, getting the Warriors’ recent playoff history all mixed up. This is a team with a head coach frequently in the headlines, having secured four championships since 2014—undoubtedly one of the top franchises in the NBA over the past 15 years.

Yes, they missed the playoffs in 2024 after getting beat in the play-in tournament—despite winning 46 games that season. And, sure, they didn’t quite make it this time, but acting like Steve Kerr has been lost since winning in 2022? That’s just not the case.

In reality, the team recorded a total of 175 wins and 153 losses over the past four regular seasons.

Before Stephen A. Smith jumps to conclusions about Steve Kerr on national television, perhaps he could take a brief moment to check the actual status of the Warriors. That might save him from mixing up such basic facts in the future.