Sports

Stephen A. Smith Gets Defensive After Online Evisceration From Pelicans

#New Orleans Pelicans
by Last Updated
Stephen A. Smith on hand for an NBA matchup between the Lakers and Warriors.

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Stephen A. Smith has been going after Zion Williamson all year long, consistently ripping the Pelicans star for his work ethic and conditioning. Refusing to let up, he’s been critical of Williamson’s eating habits and motivation while noting the long absences experienced since entering the league.

New Orleans bit back this week, taking a shot at Smith with an embarrassing video on social media. That clip took aim not only at his skills on the court, but his production (or lack thereof) throughout a college career at Winston-Salem State.

The quip was warranted given the constant berating Williamson’s received from the sports media host.

“Zion Williamson, he looks fat,” Smith said in a December podcast. “He looks fat… Zion Williamson went to the free throw line the other day, ladies and gentlemen, I saw a belly.

“You looked like you showed up to the game having just ate a buffet. Not something from the buffet, I said, ‘The buffet.’

“I know they’ve got a weight clause in his contract; they’ve got to. He’s violating that. So, he’s addicted to food!”

New Orleans did put a weight clause in Williamson’s contract, stating that he needed stay at 295 pounds or less. He reportedly tipped the scales north of 300 pounds ahead of the 2023-24 season.

That came after missing the entire ’22 campaign with injury then playing just 29 games the following year.

Zion Williamson’s current New Orleans bio lists him at 284 pounds, suggesting he’s complying to the conditions of his deal. That hasn’t stopped SAS’s verbal attacks.

The Pelicans backed Zion by going after Stephen A. Smith on X.

NOLA posted an embarrassing clip of Stephen A.’s athletic highlights, closing with his rumored college scoring average at Winston-Salem State (1.5 PPG).

It didn’t take him long to respond with a 10-minute rant.

On his podcast, he got defensive about his NCAA production, chalking up the low output to a knee injury. He then continued spewing vitriol New Orleans’ way, this time at the franchise as a whole.

The Pelicans did not care.

They buried the host with a simple tweet that sent followers into a frenzy in the comments section.

Pelicans – 2, SAS – 0

Knowing Stephen A., this won’t stop his online hate of Williamson and Co.