NEW YORK, NY. (THECOUNT) — Stephen A. Smith publicly apologized to Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart during a live taping of “The Roommates Show” Friday at Madison Square Garden, admitting he was “beyond wrong” after years of questioning Brunson’s NBA potential and dismissing Villanova University’s future NBA stars.
The appearance came just days after the New York Knicks captured the NBA championship, with Brunson and Hart celebrating the franchise’s title alongside teammates and fans.
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Smith joined Brunson, Hart, and podcast co-host Matt Hillman on stage at the Infosys Theater inside Madison Square Garden, where he was greeted by loud boos from the audience before addressing his past comments.
stephen a smith loudly booed at ‘the roommates show’ with jalen brunson & josh hart pic.twitter.com/MXMlBZdnid
— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) June 19, 2026
The ESPN personality has long been criticized by Knicks fans for repeatedly questioning Brunson’s ability to become a franchise cornerstone.
His skepticism dates back to Brunson’s college career at Villanova, where Smith famously declared during a 2016 television broadcast that the Wildcats “don’t have a real NBA prospect on this squad.”
That Villanova roster included Brunson, Hart, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo and several other players who would go on to successful NBA careers.
The Wildcats also captured the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship, further highlighting how inaccurate Smith’s evaluation ultimately proved to be.
Years later, Smith remained unconvinced when Brunson signed with the Knicks during the 2022 offseason.
At the time, he criticized New York’s decision to invest heavily in the point guard.
“I’m tired, y’all… Jalen Brunson isn’t the answer,” Smith said during one of his televised commentaries. “You’re creating this cap space to get Jalen Brunson? Is he Kevin Durant? Is he Kawhi Leonard? You’re selling New York on Jalen Brunson?”
Since arriving in New York, Brunson has developed into one of the NBA’s elite guards and helped lead the Knicks back to championship glory, dramatically changing the perception of both his signing and his place among the league’s top players.
During Friday’s live podcast, Brunson and Hart playfully confronted Smith over his previous criticism and asked whether he was finally prepared to admit he had been mistaken.
Smith did not hesitate.
He acknowledged he had been “beyond wrong” in his evaluations and offered an apology not only to Brunson and Hart but to the entire Knicks organization.
2016 Stephen A Smith: "Villanova doesn't have a real NBA prospect on this squad"
Skip Bayless: "No, they don't, mm-mm"
2016 Wildcats = 7 NBA players:
—Jalen Brunson
—Mikal Bridges
—Josh Hart
—Donte DiVincenzo
—Eric Paschall
—Ryan Arcidiacono
—Daniel Ochefu pic.twitter.com/5eMtb9Ttzd— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) August 31, 2023
The exchange drew cheers from the Madison Square Garden crowd, many of whom have spent years criticizing Smith for his assessments of the franchise and its players.
Brunson and Hart have been close friends since their Villanova days and now host “The Roommates Show,” a podcast featuring behind-the-scenes conversations with NBA players, coaches and other personalities.
The podcast has grown significantly in popularity as the Knicks’ recent success has reignited excitement among New York basketball fans.
For Smith, the public apology marked a rare admission that one of his most memorable basketball predictions failed to materialize.
His comments also served as a reminder that even the league’s most recognizable analysts can miss on player evaluations, particularly when projecting college talent to the professional level.
With an NBA championship now secured, Brunson’s accomplishments have largely silenced many of the doubts that surrounded him entering the league and during the early stages of his Knicks career.
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