The times are a-changin’ (at least a little bit) for Stephen A. Smith at ESPN.
ESPN announced on Tuesday that they will have a new-look team for “NBA Countdown,” their long-running NBA pregame and halftime show. The new crew, which is set to debut on Nov. 19, will feature Brian Windhorst, Michael Malone, and Kendrick Perkins as analysts while Malika Andrews continue to serve as the host. Shams Charania will also serve as a regular contributor to the show.
While Smith was not mentioned by name in the ESPN release, this news means that he is officially off “NBA Countdown.” Many social media users made note of the demotion, especially since Smith had held that role for over two decades now.
Stephen A Smith is off NBA Countdown
Smith first joined the show in 2003 pic.twitter.com/XlMJru8SfT
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 17, 2025
Smith first joined ESPN in 2003 as an analyst for the network’s show “NBA Shootaround.” That show was later renamed to “NBA Countdown” in 2012, and Smith had continued to feature on the program all throughout its run.
The 58-year-old Smith is obviously still ESPN’s biggest star as well as the face of the network in a sense. He is also ESPN’s single highest-paid personality and was recently revealed to be on a staggering nine-figure contract with The Worldwide Leader.
But Smith recently took on a notable new role covering a different sport for ESPN. Apparently pursuant to those new duties, Smith is now being removed from his longtime post on “NBA Countdown.”
