STEPHEN A. Smith received a stern warning from Monica McNutt on First Take.
Following the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics, Smith told the First Take co-hosts that he had decided to make some changes to his top five backcourts of all time.
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Thanks to the loss, Mavericks stars Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic were eliminated.
Instead, Smith decided to turn to his beloved New York Knicks to replace them.
To the delight of McNutt, who works as a Knicks analyst for MSG Network, the duo of Earl Monroe and Walt Frazier took the place of the Dallas duo.
The NBA Hall of Famers played together from 1971 to 1977, winning the franchise’s most recent NBA title in 1973.
Known for his unique fashion sense, Frazier has consistently dazzled on MSG Network with his bold ensembles since retiring.
However, while Smith was full of love for the Knicks and the NBA legend, he was less taken with his wardrobe.
“I love your rhymes, I love your lyrics, I love all of it, I just think your wardrobes are a little outdated for me,” he said, impressing McNutt.
Smith added that he ‘loves’ and ‘reveres’ Frazier, but that wasn’t enough for McNutt.
She asked Smith to repeat what she had said about Frazier’s wardrobe, claiming she couldn’t hear him properly the first time.
He called Frazier’s appearance “a little dated for my taste.”
Smith then added that he thought the legend should consider framing some of his clothes instead of wearing them.
“You better be careful,” McNutt warned.
“He’s always on camera at every game!”
Fellow guest Brian Windhorst sided with McNutt, commenting that “the classic never dies.”
First look at the numbers
First Take has grown from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim over the past year.
ESPN’s weekday debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 – making it the most-watched year in the program’s history.
Its December average of 611,000 represented a 24% annual increase compared to 2022.
The show has also recorded more than 250 million views on YouTube.
First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.
Smith ended up backpedaling a bit, claiming he felt Frazier’s “wardrobe works for him,” but again, that wasn’t enough for McNutt, who called his colleague an “icon.”
At this point, host Molly Qerim had heard enough as she tried to corral the “fashion police” to get the show back on track.
In February, Frazier and fellow MSG Network broadcaster Mike Breen were honored at Madison Square Garden before the Knicks’ 123-113 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies as they celebrated 25 years of working side by side.
Both received personalized Knicks jerseys autographed by stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, with the latter commenting on Frazier’s bright red suit before continuing preparations for the game.
“I can’t believe it’s been 25 years, guys, but I enjoyed the trip,” Frazier later commented.
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