SIDELINED

Stephen A. Smith Shockingly Excluded From ‘NBA Countdown’

The sports commentator has been a fixture on the show since 2003.

Stephen A. Smith was noticeably absent from the revamped NBA Countdown lineup, despite having been a fixture on the show since 2003. Fans were stunned when the network unveiled its “new-look NBA Countdown team” for Wednesday’s show—one that notably left Smith out. The lineup included the host of three seasons, Malika Andrews, senior writer Brian Windhorst, NBA champion head coach Michael Malone, and retired NBA champion Kendrick Perkins. Smith, 58, has been with ESPN and a mainstay on the show since 2003, when he was hired as an NBA analyst. He hosted The Stephen A. Smith Show from 2005 to 2008, and in 2012, he became a full-time permanent analyst on First Take, with a deal worth at least $100 million. NBA Countdown, a show discussing NBA storylines, game primers, and analysis, airs 30 or 60 minutes before the game starts. Smith has notably been missing from the show’s preseason and regular season this year.