Jay Williams wasn’t having it on First Take. The former NBA player and ESPN analyst went off on Stephen A. Smith for labeling Giannis Antetokounmpo an “underachiever”, a comment Smith made last week while assessing the Bucks superstar’s legacy if he never wins another title.
“That was one of your worst takes I’ve heard in a long time,” Williams said. “That was horrible.”
And he didn’t stop there. Williams criticized not just the comment, but the entire framing of how NBA media talks about greatness.
Williams Defends Giannis’ Legacy
Williams came in swinging with Giannis’ résumé:
- Finals MVP
- 50-point closeout game
- Multiple All-Star and All-NBA selections
- Stayed loyal to Milwaukee instead of chasing superteams
“To call him an underachiever is just, I think, an asinine comment,” Williams continued. “There’s no way in hell anybody who watches basketball…would say that.”
Williams made the point that if the Milwaukee Bucks as a franchise are underachieving with Giannis on the roster, that’s one conversation. But calling Giannis himself an underachiever? That crosses a line.
Stephen A. Smith Fires Back
Smith, clearly irked, rolled his eyes throughout Williams’ monologue. Then he fired back:
“You’re ill-informed… you didn’t listen to what I had to say.”
Smith argued that Williams cherry-picked part of the segment and didn’t hear him also call Giannis “one of the greatest players to have ever lived.” But Williams and many viewers weren’t buying the walk-back.
You can’t call a player an “underachiever” on national TV and then act surprised when that gets quoted.
This Was Always the Point
Let’s be real: Smith knew what he was doing. Calling Giannis Antetokounmpo, a global icon and one of the best two-way players of this era, an underachiever was guaranteed to spark debate. That’s First Take’s fuel.
But Jay Williams reminded us that there’s a line between hot takes and disrespect, especially when you’re talking about a player who brought a championship to Milwaukee without a superteam.
In a sports media landscape built on drama, Williams chose principle over ratings, and fans are taking notice.
Read More: Ranking the 20 NBA Stars With the Most “Main Character Energy”
