Rusty Weiss
Michael Jordan reportedly picked up the phone to challenge Stephen A. Smith’s controversial claim that NASCAR drivers aren’t real athletes—only for the outspoken commentator to keep digging in his heels.
You have to admire Smith’s tenacity. When he latches onto an inane take, he truly sticks to his guns.
Even Michael Jordan Couldn’t Change Stephen A.’s Mind
Smith revealed on his SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio show that the basketball legend reached out specifically to “correct” him after Smith dismissed NASCAR stars as non-athletes.
Despite Jordan’s stature as one of the greatest competitors in sports history, Smith claims he stood firm on the matter. Because he’s honest. And authentic. Or something.
“You know who wanted to correct me about the NASCAR thing? Michael Jordan,” Smith said. “Michael Jordan. I argued with him! Because that’s how I feel! I’m being honest. That’s how I feel. That’s all, it’s not a crime. That’s what makes radio and sports talk.”
Smith made the remarks last week on the same radio show while debating the greatest athletes of all time. When a caller mentioned NASCAR legend Richard Petty, Smith rejected the idea outright, arguing that driving a car—even at high speeds for hundreds of laps—does not qualify as athletic.
“Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!” Smith began, via Awful Announcing. “I’m being honest. It’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same.”
“You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud,” he added.
Yeah, dude, you can also play basketball, or baseball, or tennis, in your 60s and 70s. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it on a professional level. Are those not athletes either?
"A NASCAR driver is not an athlete."
— Motorsport (@Motorsport) April 21, 2026
Stephen A. Smith did not hold back on his opinion. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/EQpP8XgaCX
Smith, in revealing that he had debated the issue with Jordan, chastized those in his business for jumping all over his hot take. he suggested he’s some sort of warrior for going against the current.
“Don’t you notice what we call the gang mentality?” Smith lamented. “Where everybody in my line of work jumps on popular opinion so they are lumped in with the vast majority of people who feel the way they feel? That’s easy.”
“The hard part is, ‘this is where I stand, and I genuinely feel this way, and here’s why.’”
Well, no, actually. Smith is one of several sports commentators who intentionally take the opposite side of an 80-20 issue because doing so drums up outrage. It gets them clicks. It gets them attention. (Colin Cowherd is another who uses this tactic.) When Smith saw the attention his comment was getting, even if it was all negative, he had to be foaming at the mouth.
It’s as driver Joey Logano said, he loves the attention and an opportunity to remain relevant. It’s not an honest take, as SAS says; it’s all about getting attention.
“People like that have to make comments to stay relevant,” Logano told reporters. “I mean, that’s part of their game, right? They gotta make big moments so people watch.”
“He got exactly what he wanted — he got you talking about it, the whole industry talking about it,” he added. “Now he’s relevant.”
He’s even got the attention of an all-time great in Jordan.
Incidentally, where are the professional golfers here? Smith also insisted that they weren’t athletes.
“Just because you gotta walk the course for 18 holes for four days, that don’t make you an athlete,” he chided.
“They’re skilled players, they’re elite at what they do. But athletes? Athletes? Are you kidding me?” Smith added. “Is walking the latest sport that you want to turn into an Olympic sport? Because I guess that would make them athletic, right? Because they can walk.”
“If you’re out there doing stuff that grandmas and grandpas can do, I’m not gonna look at you that way. You’re skilled, you’re phenomenally skilled as a golfer…but that is not an athletic sport.”
Why are NASCAR drivers going ballistic over Smith’s comments, but professional golfers haven’t uttered a peep? Stand up for your sport, people!
