ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Tuesday urged Donald Trump to “stay the hell away” from the New York Knicks for the rest of the NBA Finals after the president, who attended the team’s Game 3 loss, mocked his “low IQ.” (Watch more below.)
“You want to talk about IQ? I could say I put my IQ up against yours any day of the week,” said the commentator, who Trump once deemed a possible 2028 presidential candidate, on ESPN’s “First Take.”
He later continued, “I could ask you to debate me since you think you’re that dude, OK? We could go a myriad of ways with all of this. But I’m not gonna let you off the hook because none of that is important.”
The remarks from Smith mark a rapid escalation in a war of words seemingly sparked when the commentator used Monday’s edition of “First Take” to preemptively blame Trump if the Knicks were to lose to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks were on a dominant 13-game win streak heading into the matchup.
Trump’s decision to attend the game led to heightened security measures at Madison Square Garden and a canceled watch party outside the arena.
Once inside, he was greeted by a storm of boos, appeared to nod off in his seat and apparently left less than halfway through the fourth quarter.
Trump, when confronted with Smith’s comments after the game, described Smith as a “nice guy” before adding, “But you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that.”
Less than 12 hours later, Smith said he appreciated Trump calling him a nice guy before showing what he suggested was his “other side.”
“And my other side came out last night when I recognized that businesses that are accustomed to being patronized were compromised by you because you showed up. The crowd that surrounded [MSG] and its surrounding areas you compromised,” said Smith to Trump, a New Yorker and onetime MSG fixture.
“I thought you were about the economy? I thought you were about helping New Yorkers because you love New York?” Smith said.
He later went on, “We know you’ve made a lot of money. We know you keep making money. But have the New York Knicks benefited?”
Smith proceeded to argue that the team — and the fanbase cheering on its historic postseason run — were on a roll before he showed up.
“It’s clear you need your rest, isn’t it?” said Smith in a dig at Trump seemingly dozing off at the game.
“The New York Knicks need it, too.”
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