Bomani Jones: ‘First Take’ doesn’t need ‘anybody other than Stephen A. Smith’

In the wake of ESPN and Shannon Sharpe parting ways due to the fallout of the $50 million sexual assault lawsuit filed against him, it begs the question of what the Worldwide Leader should do to fill that seat across from Stephen A. Smith on First Take.

For his part, Bomani Jones doesn’t think that’s actually all that important.

Jones joined Joel Anderson on Thursday’s episode of The Press Box, and the two discussed what’s next, not just for Sharpe but for the ESPN show he used to co-host alongside Smith several times a week.

“I feel like Stephen A. has to do something,” said Anderson regarding where First Take goes from here. “‘Cause, I mean, Shannon going on there was a big deal, right?”

While Jones was curious to know how true it is that Sharpe brought an audience with him when he left FS1 for ESPN in 2023, he didn’t seem to think this meant the show would suffer in any meaningful way.

“Do I think that First Take needs Shannon Sharpe? No. I think they can find somebody that is a reasonable facsimile,” said Jones. “First Take didn’t need Skip Bayless. So when I say a reasonable facsimile, I don’t mean find somebody who is like Shannon Sharp, but a person who fills a very similar role and who gets on well with Stephen A.

“Because that’s what it really comes down to. A show like that is just about how well the other person gets on with the star of the show. Chad Johnson has joked about how he can do the show now, you know, he’s been trying to get on for the longest. Maybe he works. They sprinkle Cam Newton there. I don’t think that works as well as it works with Shannon, for example.

“I don’t think that show needs anybody other than Stephen A. Smith.”

Jones went on to explain why he felt Gilbert Arenas wouldn’t be a good fit, for example, because he’s used to doing his thing on his own show, and it wouldn’t make for a good fit if he had to try to “modulate” himself to fit with Stephen A. Smith.

“But what made Shannon good was the fact that Shannon figured out exactly how to modulate it,” added Jones, who also praised the former NFL star for pioneering the era of former athletes being able to talk about sports generally, rather than just the one they played.

It’s an interesting way to think about what First Take should be looking for as it moves on from Sharpe and fills in that space permanently. Chris “Mad Dog” Russo is a worthy adversary for Smith but works best in small doses. The aforementioned Cam Newton and Chad Johnson also bring something interesting to the table. And “ESPN sees Kendrick Perkins as their Shannon Sharpe,” according to Jones.

One thing is defintely sure. From a financial, logistical, and attention-getting standpoint, First Take is Stephen A. Smith’s show, first and foremost, no matter who is sitting across from him.