Amid growing tensions between Stephen A. Smith and Knicks players, veteran guard Josh Hart became the latest to speak out and set the record straight.
In a recent chat with Knicks reporter Stefan Bondy, Hart directly questioned Smith’s fandom while exposing his lack of connections in the locker room. It directly contradicts what Smith portrays himself as: the culture-setter and face of the fandom. The fact that he’s on such bad terms with the players of his favorite team says a lot about the way he’s perceived in that locker room.
“For me, I think Stephen A., as a part-time Knicks fan, needs to shut the hell up,” said Hart, via Stefan Bondy. “He barely knows guys that are on the team.”
Stephen A. is always loud when it comes to the Knicks, and he’s never shy about calling out guys by name. Whether it’s being highly critical or singing their praises, he always has something to say about how they are doing or what decisions they are making. For Hart, the last straw was when he came after Mikal Bridges for not meeting his expectations.
“I’m definitely not going to listen to a part-time Knicks fan,” Hart responded Thursday before the Knicks faced the Hornets. “When Stephen A. rolls up to MSG with a ‘New York’ on his chest and ties up his sneaks and plays for us, then I’ll listen to what he has to say.”
Bridges, 29, has been having an up-and-down season for the Knicks, with averages of 14.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game on 48.5% shooting and 37.5% shooting from three. He’s only in his second season with the team, but his stats have dipped across the board, leading to criticism from fans and media. Smith has been more vocal than the rest, but it’s nothing that’s outside his usual character.
Smith is a media superstar at ESPN, but he’s not nearly as popular among the players. In fact, he has rivalries with several athletes, including LeBron James, with whom he recently had a viral confrontation. Their beef has gotten to a point where they openly admit disdain for each other.
When it comes to the Knicks, despite his vocal support of the team, Stephen A. is not considered a true fan in the same sense that someone like Spike Lee is. Spike is there, sitting courtside, at nearly every Knicks home game, but Smith is rarely seen at MSG these days. So for his words to carry any weight in the locker room, he’s going to have to be more active with his fandom and start actually showing up to support the team.
Fortunately, now is arguably the best time to be a dedicated Knicks fan. Despite their flaws, they are in a pretty good place right now at 48-25 and winners of seven straight games. With Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby, they are peaking at the perfect time, and they cannot afford any distractions.
That’s why Josh Hart is going out of his way to defend his teammates and ensure the confidence and chemistry stay intact for the upcoming playoffs. With steep competition that includes the Pistons, Celtics, and Cavaliers, the road ahead isn’t easy, and the Knicks will need the best from everyone just to keep up.
