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.
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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.
