The OKC Thunder advanced to the Western Conference finals after defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 in a convincing win. But before the pivotal do-or-die game, the ESPN broadcast of the matchup saw a massive blunder from longtime analyst Stephen A. Smith.
During his pre-game analysis, Stephen A. mistakenly called Thunder star Jalen Williams “Jamal Williams.” It happened when he was asked by co-host Malika Andrews who he thought was going to win in Game 7.
“I think Jamal, Jamal Williams, is going to show up,” he said, referring to Williams, who earns $20,256,917, according to Sportrac.
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After the error, Stephen A. was roasted by NBA fans on X, expressing their dismay about the ESPN analyst’s lack of awareness.
“So brain dead,” a fan wrote.
“Stephen A constantly proving he doesn’t know ball,” one fan said.
“Dude doesn't watch basketball I swear 🤣,” another fan said.
Other fans pointed out that the Thunder also has Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams on their roster, making the blunder even more baffling.
“There are literally two different players named Jaylen Williams on OKC and he still didn’t get the first name right 😂,” one fan said.
“He sounds like he's been drinking,” one fan wrote.
“Sports analyst” or whatever lame title he gives himself,” another fan said.
Jalen Williams had an impressive showing in Game 7, putting up 24 points, five rebounds, and seven assists to make up for his poor performance in the prior games of the series.
In the West finals, the Thunder will face the Minnesota Timberwolves for a shot at the NBA Finals. The OKC franchise has yet to reach the title series since 2011.
OKC Thunder superstar credits Jalen Williams for success against Denver
Jalen Williams played lackluster in the series, causing OKC to drop numerous games. Being the second option on the team, Williams was relied upon by his teammates to step up, including franchise star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
"Obviously he didn't have his best series…The same thing happened last year and the reason why we advanced is because he got better as a basketball player mentally and physically,” Gilgeous-Alexander said during the post-game interview.
Williams was particularly called out for his Game 6 performance, where he was held to just six points on 3-of-16 shooting from the field. He also struggled last year when the Thunder lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs.
With the Game 7 performance, Williams is expected to be relied upon once more as they look to fulfill their championship expectations.
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