Stephen A Smith is a controversial sports personality at ESPN. Working on First Take, the network's morning debate show, Smith gives extremely entertaining but sometimes outrageous takes, which is the point of the show. He also hosts his own podcast and makes media appearances all over the country, discussing a wide range of topics, from sports to politics.
Smith certainly is unafraid to share his opinions, and is given a tremendous platform to give them. Although some people are quick to dismiss his words, he has been watching sports for more than five decades now. His ranking of the top five duos in American sports history is worth a watch, and is sure to turn more than a few heads.
On January 30th, 2024 on First Take, Smith ranked his choices for the five greatest duos in sports history. Did he choose wisely?
5 Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier
NHL
Wayne Gretzky
The only non-basketball duo in Smith's top-five is a hockey pairing, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. Gretzky is widely considered the greatest hockey player of all-time, with statistical and winning margins so large they're unlikely to ever be overcome.
Yes, Connor McDavid has threatened Gretzky's place as the "best" hockey player ever, but his accomplishments will never be touched. Gretzky holds all-time records for career points (2,857), assists (1,963), most points in one season (215), and many, many more.
Mark Messier was also an impressive player in his own right, playing for 25 seasons and compiling a long list of accolades. He was also Gretzky's right-hand man from 1980 to 1988, when Wayne was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in one of the most shocking American sports trades ever.
Together, the pair won four Stanley Cups in five years ('84, '85, '87, '88). It was a run of dominance not often seen in professional hockey, and will likely never be duplicated again. The two guys went on to more success without each other (Messier won two more Cups), but they are undoubtedly a top pairing in sports history.
4 Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
NBA
Kareem Magic
The next duo on Stephen A's list is an obvious one: Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Showtime Lakers. Together, the two not only won five titles and four Finals MVPs, but they helped revive the NBA from the depths of misery that was the 1970s.
In the City of Angels, Jabbar and Johnson crafted the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980s, a team so entertaining that the NBA became popular again. Their run-and-gun style of play weaponized fast breaks, flashy passing, and smooth finishes that were hardly seen in the clunky 70s era of basketball.
The playstyle, combined with an intense rivalry against the Boston Celtics and Larry Bird, created intrigue for a league that desperately needed it. Johnson's infectious smile and up-tempo game was a perfect match with Kareem's stoic, methodical scoring style, both entertainment wise and on the floor.
Together in 10 seasons, LA won five titles in eight NBA Finals appearances. They combined for three league MVPs and ran the NBA for a decade. They're one of the winningest duos ever, but also arguably the most influential.
3 Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes
WNBA
Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets
In his third spot, Smith shows love to the WNBA's original dominant duo, Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper. The pairing, who played in the late 90s and early 2000s, burst onto the stage as pioneers for the women's game. They only played together for four seasons from 1997 to 2000, as Cooper was already 34 years old when she joined the team in '97.
However, in that time, Cooper and Swoopes led their Houston Comets to four consecutive championships, forming the first dynasty in WNBA history. They captured three of the four league MVP awards in that span, utterly dominating the league in its early stages.
There has yet to be a WNBA team to even three-peat since the Comets won four straight from 1997 to 2000. Cooper and Swoopes are widely considered to be two of the best WNBA players ever, even as the league expands in popularity and talent.
2 Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal
NBA
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal's place on this ranking should be undisputed, at least among NBA fans. Both members of the top-ten greatest NBA players of all-time list, Shaq and Kobe dominated the league in a way not seen since. The duo played eight years together from 1996 to 2004 and won three championships in four Finals appearances.
From 2000 to 2004, Bryant and O'Neal had a grip on the league so tight that it never seemed they would relinquish it. Three titles, four Finals, and so much statistical domination you wouldn't believe it. O'Neal was the best player in basketball from 2000 to 2002, with a run averaging 35.9 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in three NBA Finals as the Lakers three-peated.
Two undisputed top-five players in the league combined for one of the sport's most dominant stretches. The memories they gave us will live forever.
1 Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
NBA
Jordan Pippen
At number one, Smith honors Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. This duo is likely the one that every older NBA fan remembers, as the two won six championships together in the 1990s and created a global brand for the Chicago Bulls that is yet to be replicated.
Jordan was the league's best player, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, and arguably the GOAT. He remains an icon of the sport with his "Air Jordan" reputation, and is still considered the greatest of all-time despite LeBron James continuing to play past age 40.
However, Pippen was no slouch himself. He was consistently one of the league's top-ten players, and placed third in MVP voting when Jordan went to play baseball. He was perhaps even a better defender than MJ himself and was the ultimate winning role player for those Bulls teams.
Simply put, the Jordan/Pippen duo paired two of the sport's best ten players together in the 1990s. In return, we got six titles, more stories, and a run of dominance that is likely never to be seen again in the modern era of parity.