WINGS CLIPPED
‘Just let it go’ Paul George tells Stephen A. Smith after First Take star’s dig at Kawhi Leonard during ESPN coverage
Leonard has struggled to stay on the court during his time with the LA Clippers
NBA star Paul George has hit back at Stephen A. Smith over criticism of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.
ESPN sportscaster Smith dubbed Leonard the "worst superstar ever" in an extraordinary First Take rant earlier this month.
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Smith and George both appeared on the NBA Countdown panel for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
"Nobody on the planet knows what it’s like to play without a star [more] than Paul George. I’ll leave it at that," Smith quipped during the broadcast, appearing to reference Leonard.
George and Leonard have been teammates at the Clippers since 2019.
Although George laughed off the exchange at the time, he revealed earlier this week on Podcast P he "didn't like that moment."
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"I rock with Stephen A. obviously, but just let it go,” George said.
"Kawhi wants to play, I will keep beating that over the head until I’m out of breath. He wants to play.
"[Stephen A. ] keeps making it something like Kawhi doesn’t want to play or he doesn’t want to be there.
"I think we rode Kawhi a lot this year to where it kind of got to the point of, ‘There’s only so much my body can take right now.’
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"We exhausted a lot out of Kawhi this season, and I just think at some point, your body breaks you down."
'He is a nightmare', Stephen A. Smith goes on two-minute rant over NBA's Kawhi Leonard and says 'worst superstar ever'
Leonard, a six-time All-Star, has been plagued with injury issues since joining the Clippers almost 5 years ago.
Smith used his platform on First Take to claim Leonard has only been available for an average of 40.3 games per season since joining Los Angeles.
During the 2023-24 season, he featured in 68 games but missed the playoffs.
"Right around the time it comes to negotiate, he's available," Smith raged.
"Right around the time it's time to get his money, he's on the court.
'Who talks more about the WNBA?'
Stephen A. Smith had a run in with Monica McNutt on First Take about women's basketball this week.
Smith said that he didn't like how he needed to "watch every syllable" when talking about the WNBA, but McNutt wasn't happy with his statement.
"Welcome to the world of being a woman, Stephen A," she said.
"How you have to dance about your word choice and how you have to please everybody and anybody as you navigate your being."
Stephen A. gave a comment that really fired McNutt up.
"Who talks more about the WNBA, who talks about women's sports more than First Take?" Stephen A. said.
McNutt clearly was irked by his question and set the record straight on live TV.
"Stephen A., respectfully, with your platform, you could have been doing this three years ago if you wanted to," McNutt said.
Molly Qerim and Shannon Sharpe both looked stunned, and Qerim tried to get the show to a commercial break, but the awkward moment continued.
After Stephen A. muttered "wow," McNutt gave him a reassurance that she thinks he could have done more.
"You're my guy," McNutt said.
"But I'm talking to you."
"You're my girl," Smith replied.
"But you've missed a lot of episodes of First Take."
"Right around the time it's time to get his money, you see him in a Clipper uniform."
"I'm sick of y'all - I'm really sick of y'all, " Smith added.
"This is the worst superstar in the history of sports. He is a nightmare."
George teamed up with Stephen A. for both Game 3 and Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
But he reiterated that he "didn't appreciate" the quip against his teammate on live TV.
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"I know I laughed just because of the situation, it was light-hearted,” George added.
"But deep down, it was just like, ‘Man, you gotta let that go, Stephen A.'".
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