The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder squared off in Game 7 in the NBA Finals on Sunday night. And while it was the last game of the 2024-2025 NBA season, it’s also the last marquee game for ESPN’s NBA Countdown pregame show. And Stephen A. Smith was going to make sure they did not leave the scene quietly.
During the pregame show, Smith absolutely let it rip on cohort Kendrick Perkins over his take on players stepping up in a Game 7. Smith began the rant by saying how Perkins was “really annoying” him and then proceeded to unleash a very loud and very intense rant even by his standards.
It was so over the top that even Bob Myers responded by saying, “Just because you yell something doesn’t mean it’s true.”
Viewers and basketball fans have been all over how ineffective the ESPN pregame studio coverage has been during these NBA Finals. And in truth, it’s been that way for a long time. But the mix of Kendrick Perkins and Stephen A. Smith in particular has brought out the worst in ESPN’s NBA coverage.
We’ve seen ESPN’s star analysts continually make it about themselves and insert themselves into the storylines, give epic flip flops on stars playing hurt, and the pair were even mocked by two fans who dressed up in Dumb & Dumber outfits sitting courtside in Indiana. And if that wasn’t enough, a bored Stephen A. was caught playing solitaire on his phone during the NBA Finals.
But this shout fest before a historic Game 7 was the breaking point for both fans and members of the media who have finally seen enough.
Bob Myers deserves better. This is utter nonsense. Who wants to put up with this? Seriously. @ABCNetwork @nba https://t.co/GrsPf1vdTn
— chuck swirsky (@ctsbulls) June 22, 2025
Fantastic pregame coverage. Who is this for? https://t.co/T6XCgjZvbo
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) June 22, 2025
Unwatchable. https://t.co/AvAqEvZhtH
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 22, 2025
Does he actually do anything but yell?😂 https://t.co/5ts1Nc1iMh
— Bob Thompson (@rltsports) June 23, 2025
Couldn’t dislike Stephen A and Perk anymore for this moment. Totally unwatchable https://t.co/KXmlLRuAJr
— Fo Fo (@Fo__________Fo) June 22, 2025
Just to be clear: No NBA Countdown shows after tonight, right?
— Mike Lupica (@MikeLupica) June 22, 2025
You would think for game 7 of NBA finals @espn would have good basketball people on countdown. But instead we get @KendrickPerkins and @stephenasmith having a “who can be louder?” contest.
— Toby (@TobyRumple51) June 22, 2025
Two best words: Game Seven.
Next Best Words: No more of this crapola. https://t.co/nlzhNJoin8— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) June 22, 2025
Stephen A. Smith’s schtick may work for morning television, radio, or even his own podcasts. But the last thing that basketball fans want to see before Game 7 of the NBA Finals is a screaming match between two analysts and why they might be annoyed with each other’s takes.
Thankfully, the Inside the NBA crew is on the way to anchor ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage next year. And it can’t come soon enough.