'He got a huge ego, bigger than my ego' - Skip Bayless shares why he liked Stephen A. Smith

However, while his collegiate basketball career was modest, Smith's gift for journalism became evident through his work with the university's newspaper.

SAS's journalism career kicked off in the mid-1990s, and he was well known for his distinctive style, a blend of deep sports knowledge and unapologetic opinions. It made him stand out.

By the early 2000s, Stephen A.'s unique approach had earned him national recognition, and he transitioned into television with appearances on ESPN.

"He's got a huge ego, bigger than my ego," says star analyst and former co-host of First Take, Skip Bayless of Stephen A. "Which I love about him because that's who he is and what he is, that makes him Stephen A. Smith."

A regular face

By 2012, Smith had solidified his place as the co-host of ESPN's First Take, alongside Bayless. Their debates were electric, often capturing the attention of sports fans who tuned in just to witness their spirited disagreements.

This role was a platform for Stephen A. to showcase his unparalleled ability to engage audiences and dissect sports culture. Smith's on-screen chemistry with Bayless became legendary, mainly because of their differing styles and perspectives. Skip recalls their fiery arguments with admiration.

"I could go hard at him in ways that there's no way he's going to let anybody else go at him on camera on air because he knew, in the end, I still had his back," he said. "We could go hard about a basketball topic because that's his forte; I'm a football, basketball, whatever, but it's mostly basketball, and it would be explosively great to watch, and we both knew it, and it wasn't like it was contrived; it was real; we just naturally disagreed on just about anything."

Their constant back-and-forth wasn't rehearsed or superficial; it was an authentic exchange between two professionals who thrived on passionate disagreement.