Stephen A. Smith might have the largest platform of anyone in sports media, but that doesn’t mean he gets everything right. Magic Johnson came on “First Take” to discuss a wide range of NBA news, including Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Who says all of that news needs to be true?
???? “according to reports” https://t.co/DxFWRsaK0M pic.twitter.com/oQBVSLXvIQ
— Ballsack Sports ® (@BallsackSports) April 4, 2022
Ballsack Sports claims another victim. The formula is simple — make a graphic with a quote that is wild, but halfway plausible. My guess is Smith was scrolling Twitter, glanced at this graphic briefly, and put it to memory. Either that or someone else passed along the information secondhand.
Kevin Durant chimed in at his favorite ESPN personality.
Damn steve. Got ya ass https://t.co/oyZY5uPCKx
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) April 5, 2022
Smith has no excuse for misspeaking on his latest “First Take” gaffe. He’s been talking about these Brooklyn Nets “reports” about a scuffle for almost a month.
I sacked Stephen A Smith ???this is getting ridiculous. I’ve infiltrated ESPN
?@kamali_smith pic.twitter.com/3P4vjIxc5z
— Ballsack Sports ® (@BallsackSports) March 13, 2022
Although the Harden-Nets divorce wasn’t pretty, it doesn’t sound like it was anything close to this fake report. It pays for Smith to believe and parrot the craziest theories, but there was no scrimmage scuffle between Irving and Harden.
ESPN personality/gasbag Kendrick Perkins was fooled by this same exact report earlier this season. It only took one fake report for Perkins to come around on Irving.
My thoughts and the way I view Kyrie Irving has officially changed!!! Don’t @ me and Carry the hell on… pic.twitter.com/N7mRPaxQaq
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) March 11, 2022
This isn’t the first time Ballsack Sports has been in the NBA news cycle this year. Sixers general manager Daryl Morey referenced the Twitter account before the trade deadline.
Daryl Morey, speaking about the latest trade rumors, reveals that he monitors some interesting Twitter accounts. pic.twitter.com/jdMZx3OAlp
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 20, 2022
Aside from the Ballsack news, the Nets are focusing on the last four games of the season. Brooklyn is in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and if those standings hold, they will need to win two games on the road to snag the eighth seed.
The Nets will play the Houston Rockets at Barclays Center on Tuesday night (7:30 p.m. ET).
