Fired host Cody Decker slams ‘little bitch' Stephen A. Smith over Tyrese Haliburton take
In June, Smith announced a multi-year agreement with SiriusXM to be a part of two new radio shows, which immediately led to the firing of Decker and co-host Michelle Beadle from the network.
On Thursday, Smith called out Tyrese Haliburton after the Pacers guard had criticized the media without mentioning the sports personality directly following the Pacers' 116-107 win on Wednesday.
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'If he was talking about me…players far more accomplished and more superior have made their efforts trying to call me out,' Smith said on ESPN's 'First Take.' 'How has that worked out? I'll be here no matter what, remember that wins a chip.'
After hearing Smith's latest quip, Decker retweeted it on X and wrote 'Those that empowered this little b–tch.'
4 Stephen A. Smith feuds with Tyrese Haliburton.
x, awfulannoucning
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'The commentary is always going to be what it is,' Haliburton said after Game 3. 'Most of the time, the talking heads on the major platforms, I couldn't care less, honestly. Like, what do they really know about basketball?'
Smith adds that Haliburton was 'wise' not to mention his name directly, and he recounts defending the Pacers' star guard when he was voted the most overrated player in basketball.
'Win the damn chip bro. Win the damn chip' Smith went on. 'Because in the first two games of this NBA Finals series, you had your moment with .3 seconds left. Other than that, you didn't play well, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, reigning MVP, was giving it to y'all.'
4 Cody Decker visits 'Beadle & Decker' at the SiriusXM Studios on August 22, 2023 in New York City.
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'Just in case he was talking about me, my brother, I'm not going away. I'm gonna be here awhile,' Smith warned Haliburton, even if the Pacers star wasn't indirectly referring to him.
Decker is surely upset about his show's cancellation, the 'Beadle and Decker' radio show. He wanted to point out Smith's growing power in the sports media world.
4 Tyrese Haliburton called out the media for negative coverage.
NBAE via Getty Images
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4 Stephen A. Smith has a new budding feud with Tyrese Haliburton.
NBAE via Getty Images
Smith has had a tenuous back-and-forth with many NBA players, including the likes of LeBron James earlier this season, who confronted him during a Lakers game.
He's also feuded with Charles Barkley, among others.
Smith just signed a massive contract extension with ESPN in March, where he will make $100 million over the next five years.
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