Fact Check: Did Stephen A Smith get fired from 'NBA Countdown'?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: ESPN unveiled the lineup for its 'NBA Countdown' team on Monday, November 17, sparking a wave of online rumors that Stephen A Smith had been fired as fans noticed he was absent from the announcement. But is the claim true? Let's find out. 

Stephen A Smith shut down rumors that he was fired from ESPN

Amid the rumors, the NBA analyst finally broke his silence on his YouTube segment, 'Straight Shooter with Stephen A'. Smith said he loved working on the show and made it clear that ESPN did not fire him.

He emphasized that his absence from 'NBA Countdown' was his own choice, not the result of being let go. Smith explained that during last year’s contract negotiations, both sides agreed that he would step down from his role on ESPN’s 'NBA Countdown'.

He completely shut down the firing rumors, saying, “I had a contract negotiation last year which started in June and ended in March going to April. It was decided at that particular point in time that I wouldn't be doing NBA countdown anymore because I didn't want to."

Instead, he would contribute to other programs across the network. He went on to explain his reasoning: “I love doing the show. But after the show gets over, I've got a whole bunch of other stuff that I wanna do. And I didn't wanna be stuck in studio until midnight.”

Smith added that he had no hard feelings, saying, “No shade against ESPN, no shade against my wonderful colleagues.” He then mentioned several coworkers he enjoyed working with at the network, including Malika Andrews, Mike Malone, Kendrick Perkins, Brian Windhorst, and Shams Charania.

Stephen A Smith says 'it was always my intent to come off'

After thanking his coworkers and reporters, Stephen A Smith explained the other work he currently has on his plate.

“But in case you didn't notice, I have other things on my plate," Smith said. He talked about his show on SiriusXM's Mad Dogs Sports Radio and his political show, 'Straight Shooter with Stephen A'. 

He noted that his production company now runs both shows and releases new episodes every week, something that wasn’t happening last year. "I am a busy man," the sports commentator remarked. 

Smith also clarified that stepping away from 'NBA Countdown' was entirely his decision. “Just to be clear, I’m always available,” he said. “Because once you work for ESPN, you are always a part of the family. And if they need me for anything, of course, I will show back up on 'NBA Countdown'. There are dates in my contract that allow for that. But it was always my intent to come off. Something I negotiated.”

He once again dismissed the rumors that ESPN fired him, making it clear that he has a strong relationship with the network and plans to maintain it moving forward.