Stephen A. Smith reportedly hospitalized after Micah Parsons crossover move at NBA All-Star Weekend

Stephen A. Smith was notably absent from the start of ESPN‘s “First Take” Friday.

According to host Molly Qerim, that’s because Smith is currently at the hospital getting X-rays after Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons pulled a crossover move on him on the basketball court. Yep, a Cowboy crossed over Smith — how poetic.

“This was not confirmed by Adrian Wojnarowski, but this is what I was told by Stephen A. If he wants to change the story when he gets here, that’s fine,” Qerim said. “But this is what I understand: Stephen A. Smith is one of the coaches in the Celebrity All-Star Game tonight alongside our guy Shannon Sharpe [and] so yesterday, SA had to get out to Indianapolis early and they had a practice. So, he started messing around with Micah Parsons of all people, one of the guys on his team, obviously a Dallas Cowboy — Micah crossed him over and all I know is Stephen A.’s at the hospital right now getting X-rays. So, I’ll let him tell you the rest of the details when he gets here.”

Roughly 20 minutes after the show began at 10 p.m. ET, Smith appeared on “First Take.” As you would expect, he had a different version of events than what Qerim had reported at the top of the show. Smith said he was doing some scouting of his team before he and Parsons started shooting against one another. As Smith recalls, “there was some sweat on the floor, and I was about to just pull up and shoot it — I literally bust my ass.”

Stephen A. Smith confirms he suffered an injury during Celebrity All-Star Game practice, but denies that a Dallas Cowboy could ever cross him up. https://t.co/xQ46xyPRYc pic.twitter.com/h4adajB3FH

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 16, 2024

Stephen A. Smith refutes report that Micah Parsons crossed him over

“Ladies and gentlemen in America, Molly Qerim is a pathological liar. That did not happen to me,” Smith said. “She made the whole thing up. That’s No. 1. Crossed over by a Cowboy? By Micah Parsons? Are you kidding me? I got it. Let me tell my story please. I listened to your drivel, your lies to the American people. … They had the practice last night, and Shannon didn’t show up. So, I go there, because I’ve got to scout my team. I’ve got to see who I’m playing, who I’m going to put on the bench, because I’m not losing this game tonight, OK? And the next thing you know that damn Micah Parsons is on the basketball court, acting like he’s trying to sack quarterbacks and stuff, and pushing people around.

“So, after that, they were sitting up there, and he and I were shooting around, shooting against one another, and there was some sweat on the floor. I literally was about to pull-up, just shooting. I literally busted my ass. I mean, feet flying in the air and everything. You see what I’m saying? I got up, it was like I was sliding, it was like I was sliding into third base or something. It was that bad.”

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Smith is in an ankle brace for the injury he sustained during the practice. Never worry, however, Smith is good to coach in Friday’s 2024 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.