Stephen A. Smith and Kyrie Irving have long had a contentious relationship, with the outspoken ESPN personality frequently taking shots at the star point guard’s availability concerns over the years. This includes during Irving’s refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine amid his Brooklyn Nets tenure. However, Smith has seemingly come around on Irving’s then-controversial personal stance.
Irving held firm on his decision to remain unvaccinated throughout the 2021-22 NBA campaign. Initially, he was prohibited from playing or practicing with Brooklyn until he complied with New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. In January 2022, the 2016 NBA champion was permitted to join the Nets strictly for road games outside of New York. That continued until late March of that year when the city lifted its vaccine mandate for professional athletes and performers.
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Among Irving’s most unrelenting critics during his repeated absences was Smith, who called the dazzling ball handler’s decision “some of the stupidest nonsense [he’d] ever seen.” The pundit’s gripes came despite Irving’s insistence that it wasn’t a “political thing” but rather a life choice, something Smith appears to have grown to understand years later.
Speaking on Monday’s edition of “7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony,” Smith took the opportunity to set the record straight on his view of Irving. He clarified that his frustration with Irving always stemmed from wanting to see him play more.
“Kyrie’s a good brother. We used to butt heads because he missed work too damn much,” Smith said. “And I’m like, ‘Yo, man, this brother’s electrifying, I want to see this brother dancing on the basketball court. I don’t want to hear no sh*t about no COVID vaccines. Get your a*s on the court. We see you.'”
The 58-year-old continued to reverse course and credit Irving for taking a forward-thinking approach regarding his decision to remain unvaccinated.
“Now, obviously, in hindsight, the brother right because we see all the conspiracy theories that come out,” Smith conceded. “And props to him for having the foresight to see that. We didn’t see that at the time.”
Stephen A. Smith speaks on his past issues with Kyrie and his stance on the COVID vaccine
“Kyrie is a good brother man… and in hindsight the brother right because we see all the conspiracy theories that came out and props to him”
(🎥 @7PMinBrooklyn) pic.twitter.com/nrzdhaqI3g
— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) October 20, 2025
Irving ultimately suited up in just 29 games during the 2021-22 campaign amid his standoff against vaccine mandates. The following season, he requested a trade out of Brooklyn at the deadline over contract extension disputes. The three-time All-NBA selectee was promptly shipped to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2023, where he has since found his footing and reshaped his career narrative.
While a torn left ACL cut Irving’s 14th campaign short and will likely keep him sidelined until at least January, Smith is bullish about Dallas’ 2026 playoff outlook. If Irving returns to form, the analyst foresees the Mavericks being “the favorite to win it all,” high praise from someone who once called for the dynamic guard to consider early retirement.
