Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXMESPN First Take host Molly Qerim said Friday that co-host Stephen A. Smith had to go to the hospital for X-rays after getting crossed over by Dallas Cowboys star pass-rusher Micah Parsons during practice for the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, but Smith gave a different account.
After Qerim told the story of Smith getting crossed over by Parsons, Stephen A. rebutted by jokingly calling Qerim a "pathological liar" and telling his side of the story:
First Take @FirstTake"There was some sweat on the floor ... I literally bust my ass!" 😅<a href="https://twitter.com/stephenasmith?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stephenasmith</a> set the record straight as to why he slipped on the basketball court 😠<a href="https://t.co/jbGVNICa48">pic.twitter.com/jbGVNICa48</a>
Smith said he was shooting around with Parsons and slipped on some sweat on the court, which resulted in him taking a spill and subsequently making a trip to the hospital for X-rays on his ankle.
Stephen A. thanked the NBA for getting him the proper medical care, and he added that he was provided with both a brace and a walking boot.
Smith is one of the coaches in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which will take place Friday night in Indianapolis as part of the All-Star Weekend festivities. His team is set to go up against a team coached by his ESPN colleague and Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe.
Stephen A. noted that the practice took place Thursday night, and he said Sharpe was not in attendance. The ESPN personality wanted to get a look at what he was working with in terms of his roster, which is when disaster struck.
Parsons is playing for Team Shannon on Friday, and his involvement is Thursday's incident adds a layer of lightheartedness due to Stephen A.'s feelings on the Cowboys.
Smith, who was born in New York City and worked in Philadelphia for many years, has long been known as one of the Cowboys' biggest detractors.
He never hesitates to spew vitriol in the Cowboys' direction on First Take, and he is famous for posting videos of himself laughing at the Cowboys' misfortunes after they lose games.
Parsons, 24, has been a bona fide star in his three NFL seasons in Dallas, earning three Pro Bowl nods and two first-team All-Pro selections.
He has recorded 40.5 sacks in 50 career regular-season games, including a career-high 14 in 2023, which helped him finish third in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The Penn State alum was he 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, and he has finished third or better in DPOY voting in each of his three NFL seasons.
In addition to being a football star, Parsons played basketball in high school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, so he is in his element when it comes to the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
As for Stephen A., he may be sporting a brace or a walking boot on the sidelines for Friday's game regardless of how the injury actually occurred.
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