Stephen A. Smith’s daughter, Samantha, looked like a natural on air during a surprise appearance in the coverage of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, even though her father appeared visibly uncomfortable throughout. She brought a bit of levity before the Indiana Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-91, to force a winner-take-all championship decider.
Her appearance during a “Bring Your Daughter to Work Day” segment earned rave reviews, as she gave a hilarious impression of the ESPN analyst.
NBA Fans React to Stephen A. Smith’s Daughter Samantha’s Appearance With Her Father
ESPN anchor Elle Duncan introduced Samantha during a pregame SportsCenter segment at courtside. While Smith looked slightly uneasy, Samantha seemed to relish the spotlight, offering fans a fun interaction with her dad. After introducing herself, she playfully scolded him for taking the microphone, saying, “I’m talking here!” before launching into a spot-on impersonation.
The highlight came when she returned during NBA Countdown and made a pick opposite her father’s. That prompted Smith to respond, jokingly, “You’re going against your daddy on national television.”
She picked the Thunder, saying, “Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) has been killin’ it all season, and he won MVP for a reason.”
Her dad’s pick ended up being the right one, as the Pacers forced Game 7. But Samantha looked completely at ease on camera, and fans were quick to praise her on social media.
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pic.twitter.com/Z7S6eukcU6 https://t.co/dcWhIIPGQK
Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 20, 2025
One fan said she should be a guest host on “First Take” to debate her dad: “Get her on the network to debate Stephen A!!” That would definitely make for must-see TV.
Another fan simply said, “She nailed it.”
One post joked that she was already more likable than her dad: “This far more entertaining than her father.” Another user shared a similar take: “I already like Stephen A’s daughter more than Stephen A.”
A separate post was amused by her spot-on impression, saying, “I’m screaming! lol at the accuracy!”
Another fan saw a bright TV future for Samantha.
Cool! Careful Stephen A., she’ll be taking your job soon!
– The Finance Coach ® (@thefincoach) June 19, 2025
Smith previously caught some heat earlier in the Finals when he was spotted playing Solitaire on his phone during live coverage. That viral moment even led Kevin Durant to post “C’mon Steve” on Instagram. While Smith brushed it off, saying he can multitask, his daughter’s appearance brought a more lighthearted moment. Awkward or not, there’s no doubt he had to be proud watching Samantha shine.
