Fox News anchor Will Cain took aim Tuesday at Stephen A. Smith’s viral comments about the Lakers, pushing back hard on the ESPN analyst’s claim that Los Angeles can’t win a championship with “white” players at the top of the roster.
The exchange came after Smith sparked backlash last Wednesday with a remark about the Lakers’ new-look core. On his show, Smith mocked the team for being led by “white dudes,” a line that quickly spread online and drew a sharp response from Cain.
On Fox News, Cain didn’t waste time getting to the point.
"Alright, Stephen A, 'you're not going anywhere with three white dudes leading your franchise, in this case, the Los Angeles Lakers.' I have heard you defending this statement, and what I would say to you is this: A. You are wrong," Cain said.
Cain then called the comment “racist” and argued that the NBA already has several white stars leading major franchises. He pointed to Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Cooper Flagg as examples.
"Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Cooper Flagg. I can name three of the best players in the NBA right now that are white," Cain continued. "And if they led the Los Angeles Lakers, that would prove your proposition false.
"If I came out and said anywhere, anyplace, anytime that a black quarterback couldn’t win the Super Bowl. I would be wrong and you would also say, 'Will that is racist.'"
Smith didn’t back off. Instead, he stood by the point he made about the Lakers and said he wasn’t retreating from it.
"I'm not backing from what I said one bit," Smith expressed. "I'm going to repeat it again. 'A trio of white players in the NBA has never led a team to a championship.'
The top three players on a basketball team being white in the NBA have never led an NBA franchise to a championship."
The argument traces back to Smith’s comments on the Stephen A. Smith Show last Wednesday, when he unloaded on the Lakers’ roster construction.
"Where the hell the Los Angeles Lakers think they are going with a bunch of White dudes?" Smith said.
"Your three top players are White dudes. Really?
This is basketball."
Cain later brought Smith on his show Tuesday and confronted him directly over those remarks, setting off the on-air debate that kept Smith’s viral take in the spotlight.
In Other News...
Luka Just Gave Lakers Fans A New Reason To Revisit LeBrons Exit
Luka Doncics latest rapid-fire interview offered a reminder of just how naturally his basketball mind gravitates toward Nikola Jokic. The Lakers star kept leaning into the Nuggets center when asked to make quick two-on-two choices, a reflection of the close bond and ongoing banter the two share, and a small but telling glimpse into the kind of player Doncic seems to value most.
The final stretch of the segment only added to the intrigue, with Doncic moving on to Larry Bird and then Michael Jordan in his last picks. For Lakers fans, the bigger takeaway is what this says about the teams new center of gravity after LeBron James offseason departure, because every Doncic answer now feels like part of the bigger conversation about where the franchise is headed next. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers May Be Backing Off Kuminga For A Stunning Veteran Pivot
With LeBron James moving on, the Lakers have been able to lean fully into an offseason plan built around Luka Doncic, and they have already started reshaping the roster with the trade for Walker Kessler and a handful of free-agent additions. Even with those moves in place, the front office has kept its attention on Jonathan Kuminga, whose fit as a young, athletic wing still makes him one of the more intriguing names on their board.
The catch is that the Lakers may not want to wait forever if the Kuminga pursuit stalls. One league source has suggested the team is at least considering a veteran pivot, and that would shift the conversation from upside and long-term fit to a more immediate, established option on the wing. For a team trying to balance urgency with flexibility around Doncic, that kind of fallback could say plenty about how the rest of the summer is likely to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Linked To Rare Wing Target They Almost Never Can Land
The Lakers are once again being tied to a wing who checks a lot of boxes, and that alone makes the rumor worth watching. Bleacher Reports speculation around Trey Murphy points to the kind of player Los Angeles rarely gets a clean shot at: a big, versatile wing who can space the floor, hold up defensively and add some juice as a finisher around the rim.
Murphys appeal goes beyond the usual trade chatter because he fits the exact sort of roster need the Lakers keep circling back to. He also comes with a sizable commitment still left on his deal over the next three seasons, which helps explain why any serious pursuit would be complicated, and why this could become more than just another name floating through the rumor mill. [Read more 🡒]