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NBA star questions analyst’s salary compared to Wemby
2025 July 12 14:17

Kyrie Irving called out Stephen A. Smith’s $25 million ESPN contract during a Twitch stream, arguing sports analysts deserve the same public criticism as NBA players when they underperform. He challenged the double standard in media coverage of athlete salaries and value.

Kyrie Irving has never been shy about speaking his mind, and now that he’s active on Twitch while rehabbing a torn ACL, he’s using the platform to dive deeper into basketball debates—and challenge the sports media status quo.

Recently, Irving took aim at the way sports analysts critique NBA players’ salaries, calling out what he sees as a double standard. His example? ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

“I’m going to discuss Stephen A’s contract, and I’m going to say he’s not worth it,” Kyrie said bluntly on stream. “Obviously, Stephen A., this is for an [example],” he clarified, making clear it wasn’t a personal attack—just a point about fairness.

For years, players have been criticized by fans and pundits alike for failing to live up to big contracts. Washington’s Bradley Beal has become the face of this conversation, earning over $53 million this season while averaging just 17 points per game. But as Irving noted, fans tend to follow the lead of major media personalities.

“Sheep will follow the shepherd,” he remarked, arguing that if analysts want to publicly scrutinize players' performance versus pay, their own earnings should also be fair game.

Smith, arguably the most recognizable name in sports broadcasting, recently signed a five-year, $25 million contract with ESPN. That’s more annually than Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs’ rising star, who’s making $13.7 million.

“Does Smith deserve to earn more than Wemby?” Kyrie asked rhetorically—highlighting the strange optics of a broadcaster out-earning a generational basketball talent.

Irving’s main point was about accountability. If players are criticized for not delivering on their contracts, analysts should also face scrutiny when they offer poor takes or get things wrong—something fans have often accused Smith of.

In a new era where athletes have their own platforms and can speak directly to fans, the traditional role of sports analysts is being questioned. Irving’s take may be bold, but he’s far from alone in thinking it’s time to challenge the narrative.

firedavidkahn wrote:Wemby is on a rookie contract.

Need anything else explained, Kyrie?

chilluminati wrote:Like ... We get what you're saying Ky, but this is reality and reality is that you're all entertainers. Even if you believe one entertainer is more deserving than another, you're all operating under the same levels of scrutiny in my eyes. Outside of SAS, Ky is probably the next worst person to listen to talk. I love Kyrie's game, can't stand the man.

Rainwater wrote:

firedavidkahn wrote:Wemby is on a rookie contract.

Need anything else explained, Kyrie?

Should a commenter ever make more money than the player? Without the players there would be no Stephen A. Smith.

Blame Rasho wrote:Well I canceled cable and overall cost because how much espn sucks but that doesn’t mean people don’t tune in for their daily garbage. Same thing goes with Fox News nonsense. In all reality, you can get away from traditional media and still see sports and news for the most part.

Well to circle back on Irving, espn paid him because he is worth it to them. It is that simple. The NBA CBA limits what rookies make. It isn’t string theory.