Stephen A. Smith And Skip Bayless Wasted No Time Going At Each Other’s Throats During Their First Show Together Since 2016

Stephen A. Smith (Image Credits: Imagn)

Stephen A. Smith And Skip Bayless Wasted No Time Going At Each Other’s Throats During Their First Show Together Since 2016

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Arnab Mondal | Last updated May 8, 2026 3:08 PM ET

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless wasted no time getting under each other’s skin during their long-awaited reunion on First Take Friday morning. It was the first time the two appeared together on the show since Bayless left ESPN in 2016, and the old chemistry returned right away.

Bayless opened the show with a line aimed straight at Smith.

“I’m back. Here I dressed for your funeral,” Bayless joked as the show began.

Smith fired right back.

“It would be your funeral,” he answered.

The exchange set the mood for a fun and heated show filled with debates, jokes, and reactions. Fans of the old First Take format got to see the same back-and-forth that made the show so popular for years.

Their first big debate focused on the Los Angeles Lakers and a hypothetical discussion about Luka Doncic. Bayless argued that Doncic would not make a huge difference to the Lakers’ offense. Smith quickly made fun of the opinion and also joked about Bayless’ well-known love for Diet Mountain Dew.

Cowboys And LeBron Debates Stole The Show

The conversation soon turned to another favorite topic for both hosts, the Dallas Cowboys. Stephen A. Smith came ready with a social media video showing Skip Bayless throwing his Cowboys jersey into the trash. Smith joked that being a fan of the New York Knicks might be less painful than supporting Dallas.

Wild: Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless immediately started going for each other's throats, reuniting on First Take for the first time since 2016.

Skip: "I'm back. Here I dressed for your funeral."

Stephen A: "It would be your funeral."

pic.twitter.com/VVghmz8MC2
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 8, 2026

The biggest argument of the show happened when they started talking about LeBron James . Bayless said James is only the ninth-best player in NBA history. He ranked Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal as his top three players ever.

Smith strongly disagreed.

He said James should be ranked No. 2 all-time because of his championships, long career, and impact on basketball. Smith even called Bayless’ ranking “borderline blasphemous” during the debate.

Bayless also joked about CarShield during the segment, making fun of Smith’s popular commercials for the company.

Bayless left ESPN in 2016 after spending 12 years on First Take. He later joined FOX Sports and started “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed.” Their reunion showed that the back-and-forth between Bayless and Smith still gets plenty of attention almost 10 years later.

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

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