Stephen A. Smith is pushing back on reports that claim he was removed from ESPN’s NBA Countdown, insisting the move was negotiated long before this week’s headlines surfaced. Speaking on his SiriusXM program Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Smith, the longtime ESPN personality said the narrative suggesting he was “fired” is flatly inaccurate.
Smith explained that the shift away from a full-time role on NBA Countdown was settled during his most recent contract negotiation with ESPN, a process that stretched from last June until early spring.
“I had a contract negotiation last year that started in June and ended in March, going into April,” Smith said. “It was decided at that particular moment in time that I wouldn’t be doing NBA Countdown anymore, because I didn’t want to.”
However, Smith stressed that his decision wasn’t about dissatisfaction with the network or the show. Instead, he cited the workload and the late-night studio schedule as reasons he stepped back. He noted that balancing First Take, his podcast, outside media projects, and other business endeavors made the nightly Countdown grind increasingly difficult.
“I love doing the show. But after the show is over, I got a whole bunch of other stuff that I want to do. I didn’t want to be stuck in studio until midnight,” Smith said. “No shade against ESPN, no shade against my wonderful colleagues… But in case you haven’t noticed, I got other things on my plate.”
Even so, Smith said he remains willing to contribute to NBA Countdown as needed. He emphasized that his relationship with ESPN remains strong and that he is open to appearing on the program throughout the season.
“I’m always available,” he said. “Because once you’re working for ESPN, they’re part of the family. You’re a part of family. If they need me for anything, of course, I’ll show back up on NBA Countdown. They need me a few dates a year. Sure.”
As the headlines spread, Smith appeared frustrated that the story was framed as a sudden removal or a sign of conflict between him and the network. He reiterated that his reduced role was fully expected, fully negotiated, and not the result of any internal dispute.
“It was always my intent to come off,” Smith said. “It’s something I negotiated. Just so we’re clear, this story is a non-story. This is not some epiphany that everybody is getting attached to that, ‘Oh, my God, this just happened, and he’s been yanked off the shelf.’ No, that didn’t happen like that.”
Smith added that he will continue to appear when called upon. But when he is not needed, he’ll remain focused on expanding his platform outside the ESPN studio.
“I’m available when needed,” he said. “And when I’m not needed, I got other stuff to do on my own. That’s how that works.”
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