Trump mocks Stephen A Smith’s IQ after ESPN star says he’d blame him for Knicks loss
WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump fired back at Stephen A Smith after the ESPN personality joked that he would blame the president if the New York Knicks lost their highly anticipated NBA Finals matchup, turning a sports conversation into a fresh public clash between the two outspoken figures.
While discussing the matchup and Trump's planned attendance, Smith made it clear he did not want the president at the arena and later joked that he would hold Trump responsible if the Knicks came up short.
President Trump responds to Stephen A. Smith saying he’d blame Trump if the Knicks lost tonight:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 9, 2026
“I think he's a nice guy but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ, I’m not sure Stephen A Smith has that.”
(h/t @big_business_) pic.twitter.com/C9xbMSTXb9
Donald Trump takes personal shot at Stephen A Smith after Knicks remark
Trump did not hold back when asked about Smith's comments regarding the Knicks game.
"I think he's a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ, I'm not sure Stephen A Smith has that," Trump said.
The remark came after Smith suggested he would blame Trump if the Knicks lost the game.
While the ESPN commentator's original comments were tied to the basketball matchup, Trump's response quickly shifted the focus away from sports and toward Smith himself.
The president's criticism also touched on Smith's frequent discussions about politics and public affairs.
Rather than responding to the Knicks-related joke directly, Trump chose to question whether the sports analyst possessed the qualifications necessary for someone who has occasionally been mentioned in political conversations.
Stephen A Smith urged Donald Trump to stay away from Madison Square Garden
Before Trump's response, Smith had publicly voiced concerns about the president attending the game.
"He's coming to Game 3 of the Finals, and I don't want him there," Smith said while discussing the upcoming matchup.
However, Smith repeatedly stressed that his objection was not political.
According to him, the issue centered on logistics and the chaos he expected to unfold around Madison Square Garden.
"It has nothing to do with politics, policy, or anything like that. It has everything to do with him disrupting and contributing at the same time to the chaos that's going to exist at Madison Square Garden," Smith explained.
He went on to argue that he would have made the same request regardless of who was attending.
"If it were Barack Obama coming to the Garden, I would say, 'Stay home.' Stay at the White House," Smith added.
Despite those concerns, Trump confirmed earlier Thursday that he planned to attend the game after receiving an invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan.
Stephen A Smith warns of historic crowds as Knicks prepare for major moment
Smith's original remarks focused on the expected chaos surrounding Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, where he warned of unprecedented crowds and logistical challenges.
"You don't understand what Monday is going to be like in New York City," Smith warned.
He predicted massive congestion across the city and urged people to prepare for overwhelming crowds.
"The subways will never be more packed. Don't drive your cars in Midtown. It will be a parking lot. There is nothing short of madness that is coming the way of everybody come Monday. You don't understand. I have been covering sports for over 30 years," Smith said.
The veteran broadcaster stressed that even after decades of covering major sporting events, he expects this game to stand apart from anything he has previously witnessed.
"And I'm telling you right now, come Monday, for Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, I expect to see an environment I have never seen in my entire career covering sports," he added.
