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Stephen A. Smith's influence on ESPN shapes basketball coverage

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 29, 2026, 11:30 AM

Last updated Sep 29, 2026

Stephen A. Smith's influence on ESPN shapes basketball coverage

Summary

Stephen A. Smith joined ESPN in 2003 as an NBA analyst, marking the beginning of significant changes within the network. Over the years, he has hosted shows like Quite Frankly and First Take, gaining prominence as a central commentator. His influence helped First Take become ESPN2's most-watched studio show by 2014. Recently, Smith signed a multi-year agreement to remain with ESPN, further solidifying his role in shaping its programming. The ongoing evolution of ESPN includes expanding into subscription streaming services, reflecting changes in media consumption.

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Status Watch

•Stephen A. Smith joined ESPN in 2003 as an NBA analyst.
•First Take became a leading show on ESPN2 under his influence.
•Smith signed a new multi-year deal with ESPN in March 2025.
•ESPN expanded into subscription streaming with ESPN+ in 2018.
•First Take set annual audience records, averaging 517,000 viewers in 2025.

Latest Updates

11:30 AMYahoo Sports — How much has ESPN changed since Stephen A. Smith joined the network?

What they're saying

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T.Schneider/Depositphotos ESPN was already a major sports operation ESPN Inc. was already a large sports media operation when Stephen A. Smith joined in 2003 as an NBA Shootaround analyst. That year, the company also launched ESPN HD for high-definition television coverage. By 2003, ESPN also operated ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN Radio, and ESPN.com. Smith entered a…
— Yahoo Sports

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