Sports
Bazzana Bananza at the Corner!
Travis Bazzana hits his first MLB home run in a 6-4 win for the Guardians!
Yahoo Sports1 min read
NBAFeature
Skip Bayless reunites with Stephen A. Smith on 'First Take,' immediately begins LeBron James hate
TL;DR
Skip Bayless returns to ESPN's 'First Take' after 10 years, reuniting with Stephen A. Smith. He quickly resumes his criticism of LeBron James, marking his comeback with familiar controversial remarks.
Key points
- Skip Bayless returns to ESPN's 'First Take'
- Reunites with Stephen A. Smith
- Immediately criticizes LeBron James
- Bayless had a decade-long absence from the show
- Known for controversial sports commentary
Skip Bayless reunites with Stephen A. Smith on 'First Take,' immediately begins LeBron James hate
After 10 years away, Skip Bayless made his triumphant(?) return to ESPN’s “First Take.” Joining him on the program was none other than Stephen A. Smith, who verbally sparred with Bayless on the show for years before Bayless eventually left ESPN.
It didn’t take long for Bayless to re-acquaint himself with Smith and the program. After confidently announcing, “I’m back,” Bayless took Smith to task for his bad takes, and immediately played the LeBron James card.
It’s borderline insulting to boil down Bayless’ entire career into one, singular take. He did, after all, have over a decade of experience as a respected reporter before his turn as a professional instigator on television. But his hatred of James has become his calling card.
So, it should come as no surprise that Bayless ranks James as the No. 9 best player in NBA history. On most lists, James slots in at second, behind Michael Jordan. Sure, some folks could put James lower on that list, but putting him at nine gives off some “I’m trying to get some attention with this take” energy.
Which, again, this is Bayless’ thing. It’s the reason “First Take” blossomed into what its become. Bayless and Smith have a knack for producing viral takes and using those to build fan engagement and fuel their next viral take. Whether or not you’re a fan of the ouroboros-like nature of their style, the pair did — for better or worse — redefine the sports-debate show.
Given all of that, Bayless’ slander of James was hardly the only inflammatory clip to come out of Friday’s “First Take” appearance. Bayless found a way to hate on Luka Dončić despite him not playing during the playoffs and shared a urine-inspired nickname for Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George. It was as high brow as “First Take” fans remember.
Smith, of course, was able to get in his own strong takes. He argued for James Harden’s Hall of Fame status to be revoked over the guard once again struggling in the playoffs and attacked Bayless for throwing out his Dallas Cowboys paraphernalia in a viral video.
Q&A
What did Skip Bayless say about LeBron James on 'First Take'?
Skip Bayless resumed his criticism of LeBron James during his return to 'First Take,' continuing a long-standing pattern of negative commentary.
Why did Skip Bayless leave ESPN before returning to 'First Take'?
Skip Bayless left ESPN after a decade of hosting 'First Take' to pursue other opportunities before making his return to the show.
How long was Skip Bayless away from 'First Take' before his return?
Skip Bayless was away from 'First Take' for 10 years before rejoining the program.