Not even Stephen A. Smith is touching this one.
The ESPN host responded to apparent social media criticism from fans over him not discussing the accusations around Thunder star Josh Giddey.
Photos of Giddey with a woman were posted last Wednesday night to social media — and since deleted — with claims that she was underage.
The NBA is investigating the allegations.
Smith is waiting for what the NBA turns up or further reporting before he gives his take on the subject.
“Let me say this to all y’all out there who have been clamoring for me to touch on this subject — y’all are getting on my last damn nerves,” Smith said about 20 minutes into the “Stephen A. Smith Show” on Nov. 27.
“Could you try to be responsible? Could you try? That’s all I’m asking. What do you want Stephen A. to say? ‘Where you at Stephen A? If this was a brother …’ Wait a minute — if it were a brother I would have treated it with the same level of sensitivity. This man Josh Giddey is currently being investigated by the National Basketball Association — the NBA — over allegations that he was having a relationship with a minor. We don’t know who she was, we don’t know how old she was — he’s 21, we don’t know how old she is. We don’t know anything. We know there is an investigation going on. That is all we know. We don’t know anything else.”
Smith is known to touch on more salacious subjects on his YouTube program, but is holding back on the Giddey situation.
The 21-year-old Australian guard refused comment when asked about the subject last Friday.
He continues to play for the Thunder with the investigation ongoing.
“You know why Stephen A. hasn’t said anything? Because you could get sued, idiots,” Smith said. “You don’t just go out there running your damn mouth over something this serious.
“A fight that went on on a basketball court? Sure. Allegations where the alleged victim was identified? Sure. Where the specification of the crime is illuminated? Sure. But this clamoring to comment on something with no information, no definitive facts — you can’t do it.
“You can do it on social media with your troll-ass selves. You can do it then because you don’t have any real accountability. Why don’t you try using your social media account? And go into Josh Giddey and flat out accuse him, make it a point of fact — make sure you use your name and address, too — because he can probably sue you.
“You have to wait and see. We don’t have all the information. We don’t even have the specific allegations, in terms of its depth.
“Again, we don’t know how old she is. When you say a minor, what do you mean? Are we talking 16? Are we talking 14? Are we talking 12? Is she 17 about to turn 18 in a month and now has parents that are pissed off because she is with an NBA player? We don’t know.”
“There’s a whole bunch of things going on. I don’t know, I have no clue. If I had a clue, I would have spoken on it, but I don’t and it’s why I haven’t said anything. My advice to you all is to shut the hell up and do the same. The investigation’s ongoing. We’re going to find out something. When we find out more information, we’ll speak on it.”
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