Stephen A. Smith loves to take aim at the Cowboys for their playoff misfortunes. It appears a standout Dallas talent now might have one over on the ESPN personality.
Smith's absence was noticed from Friday's episode of "First Take." It could have been because he was busy preparing for coaching in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Friday night. But host Molly Qerim explained Smith appeared to sustain an injury while practicing on the floor with Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons.
Qerim said Smith was on the floor when Parsons, who is on the roster of Smith's opposite on "First Take," Shannan Sharpe, hit him with a crossover that has now reportedly sent Smith to the hospital to receive X-rays.
Smith, however, is pushing back against this story.
Here's what you need to know about Smith's ailment.
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Stephen A. Smith injury update
Often, it's ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski who is among the first to break news of injuries happening in the basketball world. This time, Qerim handled the news breaking.
Though she acknowledged Smith might change the story later, Qerim said Smith told her he practiced on Thursday and got onto the court to practice with Parsons.
"Micah crossed him over and all I know is Stephen A. is at the hospital right now getting X-rays," Qerim said. "So I'll let him tell you the rest of the details when he gets here."
Smith was quick to push back on Qerim's report when he returned to the show, calling her a "pathological liar."
"Crossed over by a Cowboy, by Micah Parsons, are you kidding?" Smith said.
MORE: Did Stephen A. Smith play basketball?
Smith explained they had the practice Thursday night and Sharpe wasn't there but Smith was to scout out his team. He explained Parsons was "acting like he trying to sack quarterbacks or stuff and pushing people around," and he and Parsons took it to the court for some shooting practice.
"He and I were shooting around, shooting against one another and it was some sweat on the floor and I literally, I was about to just pull up, just shoot it, I literally bust my a—," Smith said. "I mean feet flying in the air and everything. Bam! I got up, it was like I was sliding into third base or something."
Stephen A. Smith confirms he suffered an injury during Celebrity All-Star Game practice, but denies that a Dallas Cowboy could ever cross him up. https://t.co/xQ46xyPRYc pic.twitter.com/h4adajB3FH
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 16, 2024
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Smith will be in an ankle brace after the incident, but that Smith told Schefter he "definitely" plans on coaching in Friday night's game.
Smith has some basketball playing experience, having played collegiately at Division II Winston-Salem State University, a historically Black university in Winston-Salem, N.C. His career was cut short by a cracked kneecap he sustained during his first year on the team, and he was unable to run without limping after the injury.
