New Orleans thought they silenced Stephen A Smith, but his fierce reality check makes you question the entire team’s worth
“Stephen A. Smith in January 2023” by Moody College of Communication is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
That was a quick response.
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The New Orleans Pelicans and Stephen A. Smith clash appears to be escalating as he doesn’t seem to back down anytime soon. Recently, he was mocked by the Pelicans’ official social media handles for taking a shot at Williamson. Now, Stephen has given a strong reality check to the team, who seem to be underperforming. He questioned the team’s priorities as they entered the critical stretch of the season, while engaging in antics toward a sports commentator.
The TV personality had a harsh take on the Pelicans for their challenges to keep a good record this season. Smith mentioned that the team has not been able to secure its 20th win despite playing 65 games. His comments, despite being harsh, have raised concerns for the Pelicans, who are experiencing one of the more questionable stretches in their recent history.
His exact words were, “My popularity is bigger than anybody on your team outside of Zion… 65 games have been played, and you’re still searching for your 20th victory. Yall are horrible! Yall have been trash! That is the reality…. You’re worth about 3.55B right now. That ranks 29th out of 30 teams in the NBA. This is your 24th year in the NBA. You used to be the Hornets, now you’re the Pelicans, that’s 2 nicknames. That’s how many playoff victories you have… You got the time to clap back at me, at least tell America why. It’s the only thing that can make you relevant.”
Stephen A. Smith highlights Pelicans’ underlying issues that the franchise has worked to address
Even though things look subjective from Stephen’s point of view, the Pelicans appear to be struggling in their recent performances. Judging by their stats, things aren’t looking promising for the team. The Pelicans stand 13th in the league with only 19 wins and 44 losses, a win percentage below 30. They have lost 21 home games this season, which doesn’t look like the result they’d be hoping for at this point.
Last season was also questionable, as they went on to win 21 games and lose 61. They finished 14th in the league, just one spot better than 15th. Stephen’s sharp remarks might be out of anger or sarcasm, but it looks like the team would have to deliver a solid performance to neutralize his words. As of yet, there’s no response from the Pelicans, but these back-to-back clapbacks from both parties have gained considerable attention.
Published: Mar 5, 2026 04:30 pm