Stephen A. Smith spent part of Friday’s First Take declaring that Giannis Antetokounmpo would be an “underachiever” if he only retires with one championship. This, of course, came before Game 4 of what’s been one of the most entertaining NBA Finals we’ve had since LeBron was in Miami.
Let’s just stop right there.
Giannis went from selling sunglasses on the streets of Greece to becoming an NBA champion, a two-time MVP, a defensive player of the year, and the face of a franchise that didn’t need to stack a roster with All-Stars just to compete. He overachieved every version of the American Dream. And yet, this is the takeaway from Stephen A.? That somehow a Hall-of-Fame career isn’t enough if it doesn’t come with rings in bulk?
Stephen A. Smith says he will consider Giannis Antetokounmpo an “underachiever” if he doesn’t win another ring
(🎥 @FirstTake / h/t @ClutchPoints )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 13, 2025
Pat McAfee, to his credit, needled Smith later in the day, saying he understood Stephen A.’s job was “to judge people.” But even though that was about Tyrese Haliburton and not Giannis, the point still resonates. And that’s the issue. It’s not just the takes; it’s the relentless pursuit of judgment at the expense of appreciation.
For a sport ESPN is supposed to carry the flag for, where’s the actual celebration?
That’s the problem.
It’s not a problem for Scott Van Pelt, who responded to a post criticizing ESPN’s lack of joy in covering the NBA by pointing out that, at the very least, SportsCenter with SVP is still doing the job.
“I believe we do,” Van Pelt wrote. “These post shows have been a lot of fun. Being face to face always makes for better conversations.”
I believe we do. These post shows have been a lot of fun. Being face to face always makes for better conversations.
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) June 13, 2025
He’s not wrong. Just look at his moment with Haliburton after Game 1. In the aftermath of the Pacers’ stunning win over the Thunder, Van Pelt sat down with Indiana’s biggest star and did something you rarely see on ESPN’s bigger platforms. He admitted he was wrong.
And rather than pretending otherwise, SVP admitted on air that the entire postgame rundown had been built on the assumption that the Thunder would win.
The ‘SportsCenter with SVP’ interview with Pacers’ Game 1 hero Tyrese Haliburton was great TV, especially the last exchange. 🏀📺🎙️ #NBA #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/5ctZ0XQpf7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 6, 2025
It’s the kind of exchange that shows you can be honest without being smug. You can be wrong without being performative. And you can appreciate greatness without needing to qualify it with asterisks and hypotheticals.
That attitude is why SportsCenter with SVP still works because it’s built around actual human moments. Not endless judgment.
Van Pelt responded to other critics later in the day who asked why ESPN doesn’t bring that tone to its broader coverage.
“I’m talking about me,” he said. I have nothing to do with how anyone else does what they do. That’s up to them.”
“Well, I’m in charge of exactly one show,” Van Pelt said. “So, it’s the space I worry about.”
That space — for joy, nuance, and honesty — is shrinking on ESPN’s biggest platforms. But Van Pelt is still holding it down. And as long as the network insists on asking if Giannis is somehow a failure, it’s a space that’s more important than ever.
