The Golden State Warriors didn’t start the 2021-22 NBA season as favorites to compete for a championship. Everyone remembered the Warriors losing to both the LA Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2021 play-in tournament and failing to even make the playoffs. With them adding 2 rookies, supporting cast players, and the injury return of Klay Thompson, not many fancied them to be title contenders.
The Lakers and the Nets dominated title talk at the start of the season before the Warriors went on an incredible run to start the season and sit comfortably atop the West. Before injuries to Draymond Green and Stephen Curry caused them to lose the #1 seed, Stephen A. Smith had warned everyone about the Warriors coming for their 4th championship.
As we now know, the Warriors walked their way through the 2022 Playoffs and became champions once again. With Stephen A. Smith returning to First Take after a vacation, Warriors owner Joe Lacob decided to shout out the iconic analyst for his support of Golden State last season.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob reacts to the return of Stephen A. Smith to ESPN's First Take 🤣 pic.twitter.com/T3uOfEwqXJ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 15, 2022
“He’s back? Stephen A. is back? He’s the only one who believed in us. Welcome back, Stephen A!”
This video is hilarious. The man paying the largest luxury tax bill in NBA history is unironically making video skits like this for a broadcaster. Lacob is a great owner for the team considering his ‘win-at-all-costs’ approach that has helped build a dynasty. With some big roster decisions coming to him and GM Bob Myers in the future, it’ll be interesting how they try to extend their era of consistently contending for the NBA title.
Stephen A. rooting for the Warriors may just be solidified with this endorsement from Lacob, as it is going to be very entertaining. The Warriors have the roster capable of repeating as champions, so it will be fun to see how they go about defending their championship.
