Whether or not you agree with Stephen A.’s takes, you can’t argue that the man hasn’t become one of the most famous and widely recognized faces at ESPN. Whether it’s First Take, NBA Today, or Stephen A.’s World, the world-renowned broadcaster is one of the best in the business — and he knows it.
Ahead of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday, Stephen A. made headlines after a video caught him entering the arena with maximum swag:
.@stephenasmith's entrance for Game 3 in Boston is too cold 🥶😂 pic.twitter.com/A1K4e9fCSU
— ESPN (@espn) May 21, 2022
Unsurprisingly, fans loved every bit of it:
https://twitter.com/itsjanuaryy/status/1528484102348820480
Nigga think he Carmine Falcone https://t.co/LZd9KwqYSv
— Co’leone (@doncoleone04) May 22, 2022
I’m sorry, but I love this man 😂 https://t.co/F87pdS0BIO
— lara (@LaraBnice) May 22, 2022
Stephen A. pulling up to the arena like he’s been averaging a triple-double every game throughout the NBA playoffs .. #BOSvsMIA #Celtics #NBA #NBAPlayoffs https://t.co/PPSj6LNKQ3
— Francisco A. Salazar (@FSalazarBoxing) May 22, 2022
I can’t wait until the day I’m a big star and I have an entourage walking with me through the hallways at the Thomas & Mack Center during summer league.
And if I ever win an ESPY I’m bringing all of #NBADraftTwitter to the stage with me. https://t.co/uLTvsDlMFM
— Rafael Barlowe (@Barlowe500) May 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/LeNooshi/status/1528167850300645379
Even Stephen A. himself couldn’t help but get involved in the fun. After the game, he responded to one fan on Twitter:
I’m averaging much more than that……..for ESPN and Walt Disney, my brother! Remember that!!!! https://t.co/67Ou1sjIMq
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) May 22, 2022
Stephen A. is a bona fide star in the media world, and his name carries significant weight in the industry. With a salary of roughly $12 million per year, he also gets the compensation that reflects his status:
Besides being featured on a number of different shows and productions, the man is also getting paid like an absolute celebrity, as has recently been revealed by The New York Post.
Smith’s contract is for $12 million per year, according to sources. As The Post previously reported, Smith’s personal salary is $8 million a year — which is correct — but he also has a $4 million-per-year production contract.
That makes the total compensation of the contract that he signed in late 2019 a five-year, $60 million deal.
Smith, 54, has been in the sports broadcasting scene for decades. After taking on some local gigs, he eventually moved up to higher-profile shows and quickly became a star within the ESPN network.
In many ways, he’s nearly as famous as some of the NBA’s minor stars, and the way he walks in just oozes a sense that he knows just how big his name has become.
