Stephen A. Smith says ‘First Take’ cohosts went ‘too far’ in MVP race debate: ‘It was uncomfortable’

In March, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins hinted that Nikola Jokic was the favorite to be named NBA MVP because he is White. Joel Embiid eventually won the award.

Perkins’ cohost, JJ Redick, shut down Perkins’ notion rather quickly, but things turned awkward just as fast.

When Redick challenged Perkins, Perkins backtracked on his sentiment, and cooler heads prevailed.

Stephen A. Smith, the main host on “First Take,” admitted there was a lot of awkwardness between the personalities.

Smith said the two went “too far” in the argument.

“What I didn’t know was the fury, at least it appeared to be fury to me, that JJ Redick was feeling over the subject. When he came on, on one hand, I understood how or why he felt the way he felt because of what Perk had said. On the other hand, I was saying to JJ, ‘This is your colleague on the show. If you feel that way, did you have to come at him like that?’ Because it did get uncomfortable,” Smith said on Bill Simmons’ podcast.

“JJ and Kendrick made it appear like it was about them. And that’s when I knew it was bad, and I stepped in,” Smith continued. “But it was uncomfortable.”

Smith also said Perkins was just trying to make a point but tried a bit too hard to do so. Perkins even falsely claimed NBA MVP voters were predominantly White, forcing ESPN to issue an apology.

“Everybody I’ve brought on the show, this is what I demand from them. Be your true authentic self,” Smith said. “Don’t come on here with no phony s—. Don’t have me or our audience looking at you and thinking you’re faking something or you’re saying something for just effect. 

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“You need to feel it. Here’s where it gets tricky though. What happens is sometimes in the heat of a debate you’re saying something, and then you catch yourself. And you’re like, ‘Oh s—, what did I just say?”

“Stephen A. (Smith), I mean no offense to you. And I mean no offense to ‘First Take’ because I think this show is extremely valuable,” Redick said at the time. “It is an honor to be on this desk every day. It really is. But what we just witnessed is the problem with this show. Where we create narratives that do not exist in reality. The implication that you are implying — that the White voters that vote on NBA (awards) are racist, that they favor White people. You just said that.”

Perkins replied that he “just stated the facts” but denied he made it about race.

Jokic and his Denver Nuggets went on to win the NBA Finals, their first in franchise history.