Stephen A. Smith has been making headlines over the past couple of weeks, largely because of his confrontation with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
After the viral moment during the Lakers' game against the Knicks earlier this month, Smith has gone on a press tour of sorts to talk about what happened between him and James.
Aside from the incident, however, Smith has also caught plenty of attention after he signed a contract extension to stay with ESPN. According to reports, the veteran commentator has agreed to a five-year deal with the network that is worth "at least $100 million," per the Associated Press.
Over a week after news of his deal was reported, Smith took to LinkedIn to share his thoughts on his new deal. He emphasized how much he needed to work and what it really took to get to the point where he is now.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"There have been a lot of articles posted about my new ESPN/Disney deal," Smith shared. "You don't earn opportunities like this by yourself. Its been built on business relationship and years of hardwork.
"More importantly, I want to thank my fans and daily viewers. Keeping it real. You, are the difference makers. I'm not going to slow down, because I want to produce and own content. This is only the tip of the iceberg. I'm a proud HBCU graduate of Winston-Salem State University."
Stephen A. Smith is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing figures in sports media today. However, he is also one of the most popular, having made a name for himself with his no-holds-barred opinion on teams, players and other sports controversies.
While critics often take issue with his opinions, there's no denying that Smith has thrived with that style.
Related: Stephen A. Smith Facing Intense Backlash for LeBron James Comments on Fox News
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This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 9:33 PM.