Stephen A. Smith's cringeworthy take on concussions, Anthony Davis injury is irresponsible
We know ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has hot takes. It makes him popular and well-paid.
We also know Smith has little understanding of concussions.
He proved that Thursday morning when he all but mocked Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis for possibly having a concussion after Davis took a Kevon Looney forearm to the head during Golden State’s 121-106 victory against Los Angeles in Game 5 of their NBA playoff series.
Davis went to the locker room and didn’t return.
“I’ll be damned if I wasn’t laughing,” Smith said of Davis on ESPN’s First Take.
Laughing at the idea that someone may have a concussion? Just like some people in the crowd were laughing at sexual assault during CNN’s Town Hall with Donald Trump. It’s beyond cringeworthy. It’s a problem we see continually, a lack of empathy, understanding and humanity. It's too bad, too, because I've heard Smith have deep compassion on other topics.
“I’m like concussion! CONCUSSION!” Smith continued. “I thought the NFL season was over. I understand concussions can happen in other sports. Boxing. UFC. If the collision is fierce enough, I guess it can happen in basketball, too.”
His language is troubling given what has been discovered about concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a serious degenerative neurodegenerative disease related to head trauma.
Chris Nowinski, the founder of Concussion Legacy Foundation, tweeted, "Shame on you @stephenasmith. This kind of 2005 talk sends a terrible message to young athletes. You know better. It doesn't have to look catastrophic to cause #concussion. And asking 6'10" guys who are dizzy and can't see straight to walk to the locker room is bad medical care."
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The stories of former pro football players with CTE are sad. Junior Seau and Dave Duerson died by suicide. Several struggle with mental health. None of it is a laughing matter.
Yet, there was Smith, mocking Davis for reportedly needing a wheelchair. For thinking it required a vicious Aaron Donald tackle to sustain a concussion. For thinking it doesn’t happen in basketball. For insinuating that Davis is soft.
It’s a lack of knowledge and a serious disservice to the concussion dialogue which was a considerable topic in the NFL with Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who had at least two concussions in the 2022 season.
The NBA instituted its concussion protocol policy in 2011 and has updated it multiple times since. A player is examined for a concussion. If diagnosed with a concussion, the player must go through a specific return-to-play program before he is cleared to return. That program includes an increasing exertion process − from a stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contact team drills. A player must be symptom-free to advance to the next step.
A player won’t be cleared until he is without concussion-related symptoms at rest, evaluated by a doctor, completes the exertion process and the case has been discussed with the director of the NBA’s concussion program.
Several NBA players have missed games because of a concussion. Kevin Love sat out Game 3 of the 2016 Finals after sustaining a concussion in Game 2. Late this season, Portland’s Nassir Little entered the protocol. He was hit in the face during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers and was cleared to return but exhibited concussion symptoms two days later.
Yet, Smith treated the topic without the seriousness it requires. First Take panelist Jay Williams laughed. Poor Brian Windhorst had to sit there straight-faced, and host Molly Qerim had to interrupt and say, “Let me be the adult in the room. Concussions are serious."
Smith made a feeble attempt to agree with Qerim. "No one is saying a concussion isn’t serious. We’re saying we found it hard to believe that a concussion actually happened." He said he hopes Davis is OK.
The two-minute segment was embarrassing.
The brain is complex, and there are multiple ways to sustain a brain injury that doesn't require an NFL hit, a UFC punch or car crash.
Too bad Smith doesn’t understand that.
Follow Paste BN Sports columnist Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt