Sportscaster Nick Wright criticized ESPN commentator Stephen A.
Smith on Monday, warning that his ongoing public feud with Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown negatively affects the entire sports media industry.
Wright spoke on his show, What's Wright?
with Nick Wright, after Smith threatened to broadcast a report about how Jayson Tatum and the Celtics organization view Brown.
The threat followed Brown's accusations that Smith spreads false narratives and clickbait stories.
Wright commended Smith's work ethic but strongly condemned his confrontational reporting style and veiled threats toward professional athletes.
"These last few years, where he has convinced himself, it appears, that we the people who give opinions on the actual games, are equal stars and equal of important to the people who are playing the actual games, is delusional," Wright said.
He argued that such personalized conflicts undermine the credibility of sports journalism.
Wright noted that Smith has previously engaged in similar long-running feuds with NBA stars like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and LeBron James.
"Talking to these guys like you're a mob boss and they better watch what they say, there's harm in it… If you have real information about the Celtics organization, how they feel about Brown that you're just sitting on, you should report it.
The answer is not go to the mattresses and escalate. And it makes all of us look bad.
And here's the other thing. You're the only guy who does it," Wright added.
Brown Defends Season Amid Playoff Exit
The tension originated from Brown's comments after the Celtics were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs.
Boston played without Tatum due to a torn Achilles tendon and lost key players to salary cap constraints.
"I mean, we blew a 3-1 lead, and yeah — we lost in the first round. We didn't win a championship," Brown said.
The guard defended his performance and the team's growth during the season, acknowledging the disappointing postseason conclusion but highlighting the adversity they overcame.
"But the amount of growth, the expectations that these same [critics] have for us, is why this was my favorite year, because I got to see it in practice … The expectations for this team was to fail.
The expectation was the team [would] be nothing, just to give in and to quit. And this team did the exact opposite.
We fought every single day. We fought for everything," Brown stated.
According to a report by the Boston Globe, Brown routinely voices his opinions during press interactions, which often draws public scrutiny, particularly regarding his partnership with Tatum.
"I'm not making no excuses.
Obviously, the result — we're not satisfied with the result … But to fight and maneuver through adversity and grow and galvanize with a bunch of guys and have that mind-set and approach, this was my favorite year.
I wouldn't say by far.
By far would be a stretch, because obviously winning the championship is great, but I'm telling y'all, this was my favorite season," Brown explained.
