Stephen A. Smith's Daughter Goes Viral At NBA Finals
Stephen A. Smith's Daughter Goes Viral At NBA Finals originally appeared on The Spun.
Prior to Game 6 of the NBA Finals, ESPN allowed Stephen A. Smith's daughter to make an appearance on "SportsCenter."
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Smith has truly become the face of ESPN over the past few years due to his work on "First Take." Earlier this year, he received an extension worth $100 million. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro referred to the charismatic personality as a "difference-maker" for the network. Not even his biggest critics can debate that.
"Stephen A. works incredibly hard to elevate the sports conversation day-in and day-out and we are grateful he will remain at ESPN," Pitaro said. "He is a difference maker, and fans are captivated by his deep sports knowledge, strong opinions and unmistakable flair."
ESPN gave Smith a moment he'll never forget this Thursday. During the network's pregame coverage of the NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the "First Take" analyst had the chance to share the spotlight with his daughter Samantha.
Let's just say Samantha was a natural on TV.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 12: ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith reports before Game Three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on June 12, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by)"Hi guys, I'm Samantha. I'm so happy to be here, I've made so many friends. This is really a great experience," she said. "This is a really great experience and I feel really grateful to be here, you guys."
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Though it's not a huge surprise, Smith couldn't wait to interrupt his daughter's brief time on air.
"You just got here five minutes ago," Smith told her.
Smith has taken a lot of heat during the NBA Finals, especially since he got caught playing solitaire while Game 4 was going on. Though he has fought back against his critics, they haven't taken their feet off the gas.
"When I'm watching the game, I'm watching the game," Smith replied. "If there's a break in the action -- it could be a dead ball, it could be a timeout or something like that - I can play the thing for two seconds."
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Luckily for Smith, most fans couldn't help but smile at this Thursday's moment between father and daughter.
Stephen A. Smith's Daughter Goes Viral At NBA Finals first appeared on The Spun on Jun 20, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
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