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NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith often finds himself in the news. As Smith succeeds outside of the ESPN ecosystem while nearing the end of his contract there, he is increasingly vocal in public comments about his status at the network. In a recent live event of his show “The Stephen A. Smith Show” live from SXSW in Austin, Texas, he addressed the remarks made by him a couple of days ago about being no.1 in the network. He also dished on a time when he was jobless himself.

Smith addressed how his statement was taken out of context, leaving out the major part where he threw some love to ESPN. He further pointed out that he brings out subjects like this because as per Smith, it’s what got him in trouble years ago when he got let go, “When I didn’t have a contract and I was out on the streets and I was unemployed wondering whether or not I was going to be able to pay a bill let alone bills for years to come….What did I learn? I learned that I had no clue as to what my value was because I didn’t study the business that I was in and by virtue of not studying the business that I was in, I empowered others to define my worth because I had no clue as to what my worth is.” Well, now the tables are turned! He’s reportedly balling out at a staggering $20 million!

The Stephen A. Smith Empire

Stephen A. Smith’s star power is undeniable. His initial ESPN contract, signed in 2019, started him off at a comfortable $8-10 million annually. But with an extension, he secured a reported $13 million, forging his place as a heavyweight earner at the network. Industry whispers suggest Smith’s upcoming contract might be a game-changer, potentially setting a new record for sports commentator contracts.

But money isn’t everything for this ambitious broadcaster. Smith’s ultimate goal? He aspires to be recognized “as arguably the greatest sports commentator who ever lived…I want to be one of the preeminent voices that this nation has ever seen.” To achieve this goal, Smith appears to be broadening his horizons beyond his initial desire to host a late-night show. His recently launched podcast, partnered with iHeartMedia, mixing elements of daytime talk shows, heated sports debates, and classic podcasting. He’s even dipped his toes into the world of production, bagging deals for both scripted and unscripted content.

The message here is clear: Stephen A. Smith knows his worth, and he wants you to know yours too. So, the question is: Do you? Food for thought!