Stating someone is “on the verge of being recognized as the worst owner” could certainly warrant an apology of some sort.
However, Stephen A. Smith believes most of his original statement stands true about Suns owner Mat Ishbia.
Smith made the comment earlier this week on “First Take” while also comparing Ishbia to former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, which the Suns boss took issue with on Thursday during an end-of-year press conference.
Ishbia also predicted that the ESPN personality would apologize.
“Stephen A. Smith, I don’t take much he says seriously. I don’t think many people do, to be honest with you,” Ishbia said. “The things he said about Kevin Durant, just wrong and disrespectful. The things he said about LeBron James, just disrespectful and inappropriate.
“With that being said, I don’t really think Stephen A. believes what he said. I think he’s doing his thing, he’s on the mic and … I think he’ll apologize to me because it’s disrespectful to put my name aligned with anybody that was kicked out of the league or no longer part [of the league].”
Sterling received a lifelong ban from the NBA in 2014 following racist comments made to his mistress that she recorded.
On Friday, Ishbia’s wishes were granted but not exactly in the way he likely expected.
“Mat Ishbia is absolutely right. I do owe him an apology, because I mentioned Donald Sterling,” Smith said. “I thought I was making it clear I was talking about basketball. I certainly did not mean to compare him to a person that was thrown out of this league and has been widely recognized as a racist. I should not have mentioned Mat Ishbia’s name in the same breath as Donald Sterling. I did not mean to do that. I was not talking about that Donald Sterling.
“I was talking about the Donald Sterling that would be sitting courtside heckling his own damn players and never winning anything and didn’t give a damn. That’s the Donald Sterling I was talking about. In terms of how ineffective he was as an owner on a basketball court. I certainly did not mean to do that. So, Mat Ishbia is absolutely right and for that, I apologize. I’m a man. If I’m wrong, I’ll say I’m wrong. Unfortunately for you, sir, that’s the only thing I’m wrong about. And that’s the only apology that you’re getting from me.”
Ishbia, the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, purchased the Suns and WNBA’s Mercury in Dec. 2022 and since then the franchise has been plagued by ill-fated trades and failed expectations as it tried to build around star Devin Booker.
On Thursday, Ishbia admitted his team’s season was “embarrassing” and a “failure” after finishing with a 36-46 record to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020 despite having Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal.
They also ended up firing head coach Mike Budenholzer, which sets them up to find their fourth head coach in four seasons.
Durant could also soon be out the door as a deadline trade to the Warriors fell through for the 15-time All-Star.