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Matt Barnes Accuses Stephen A. Smith of 'Tap Dancing' for the 'Whole White' Republican Party
Matt Barnes and Stephen A. Smith (Photo by Imagn Images)

Matt Barnes Accuses Stephen A. Smith of 'Tap Dancing' for the 'Whole White' Republican Party

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports
By Nitish Kumar Singh  |  Last updated Apr 4, 2026 4:15 PM ET

If there were a season award to catch strays with the most number of people, Stephen A. Smith would be at the front and center of it. Though it no longer means he only longs for fights and forays, the kind of attention he has is diabolical. 

However, only recently, ESPN’s unhinged veteran sports analyst has been on the wrong side of a backlash.

Former NBA forward Matt Barnes recently publicly criticized Smith, escalating tensions over his recent comments about LeBron James and the Memphis Grizzlies.

The exchange stems from James’ appearance on a podcast, where the Los Angeles Lakers star described Memphis and Milwaukee as “boring” NBA cities and suggested the Grizzlies could move to Nashville. 

Smith responded on his show, arguing that such remarks overlooked the economic impact a relocation could have on Memphis, particularly its Black community.

Barnes, however, pushed back strongly in a video posted on social media, questioning Smith’s stance and calling out what he viewed as hypocrisy.

“I played in Memphis… got a lot of love for the city, but there’s no doubt it needs an upgrade,” he said. “But Stephen A., you shouldn’t have a problem with that.”

The former NBA champion then took direct aim at Smith’s recent commentary, accusing him of inconsistency.

“You’ve been… disrespecting Serena Williams, Jasmine Crockett, Kamala Harris, and tap dancing for the whole white Republican Party,” Barnes said. “But you’ve got an issue with LeBron talking about a trending topic?”

Barnes argued that the possibility of Memphis relocating is already a known discussion, tied to ongoing arena concerns and a lease set to expire in 2029. From his perspective, James was simply elaborating an existing narrative rather than introducing a new one.

Stephen A. Smith Went A Little Too Far While Dissing LeBron James

While Stephen A. Smith had a point to make about LeBron James’ Memphis comments, somewhere along the way, he pushed it a bit too far.

James, speaking casually on a YouTube show, questioned Memphis as an NBA city and floated Nashville as a better destination. It wasn’t a polished or deeply thought-out take; it sounded more like locker-room talk than a policy stance. Still, it sparked backlash, and Smith quickly jumped in.

“When I spoke, I spoke about what this city needs in order to look out for the vast majority of its citizens who happen to be Black that are living there. I did it right here, on the mic with the cameras rolling. Dead serious as hell,” he said.

“Because I ain’t trying to let nobody off the hook on that. I wasn’t dressed in shorts, lolligagging on the golf course with a bunch of peeps that don’t look anything like the folks that reside in Memphis. That’s where it was foul,” Stephen A. added.

Smith has said similar things about Memphis himself. Not long ago, he openly questioned the city’s safety and called for improvements, comments that drew criticism from Ja Morant and local officials. So now, drawing a hard line between his remarks and LeBron’s feels a bit convenient.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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