Nearly two years since his cohost was removed from ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith is shedding more light on why he wanted Max Kellerman off the show.

Back in September 2021, Kellerman, who’d hosted First Take alongside Stephen A. and Molly Qerim Rose since July 2016, departed the debate show over chemistry issues with Smith. To his credit, Stephen A. has remained consistent when speaking about the pair’s decision to part ways.

During a recent appearance on the Dan Le Batard Show, Smith shared more details about why he wanted to move on from Kellerman.

“I don’t want anybody to a*sume Max Kellerman doesn’t work hard, Max Kellerman is a bad person, Max Kellerman is not somebody anybody should want to work with. That’s not what that was about,” Smith began. “It was about that a debate show requires certain things that I believe he did not bring to the table when it came to sitting opposite of me.”

According to Smith, the pair’s demise was simply due to chemistry issues.

“As far as I was concerned, Max Kellerman and I did not work for me,” he added. “It was not a show I wanted to be apart of.”

Watch Smith’s full explanation in the tweet below.

Twitter

How does Max Kellerman feel about how things ended at First Take?

"I have no clue…I don’t want nobody to a*sume he doesn’t work hard…that’s not what it was about." - @stephenasmith

Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First https://t.co/QtIoWyeMLd… pic.twitter.com/5pylVPKQl6

— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) March 24, 2023

 https://www.complex.com/s .. spn-first-take


Please watch the video below for the real reason

YouTube (new url)

@ronnie

Screamer would get get got if he left ESPN with parkking lot security

Its cuz Max was to woke

The duo dried up, once it dry up its time to move on

He was tired of getting murdered on his own sh*t.

Smith wants a less intelligent more entertaining show

Show boring as sh*t

Lil Tempus1 said Smith wants a less intelligent more entertaining show

Basically. Show is garbage. Made for teenage kids now.

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He wants morons like Michael Irvin on there to make him look more intelligent.

I still don't know why anyone would listen to Stephen talk about a sport besides professional basketball. It's obvious he doesn't watch other sports or put the time in. He just looks at the box score and rants.

Nobody on Boxden watches first take but somehow know that Max was winning debates

A lot of the times towards the end Max was either agreeing with SA or going on long winded rants that never circled back to the point. So sometimes you could get lost in what max is actually saying. He is much better on the radio because they make you confine your points because you have marks you have to meet for station ID.

Nobody wanna hear hip hop analogies from a white boy everyday

We get it you like rap music max

youngsiz said A lot of the times towards the end Max was either agreeing with SA or going on long winded rants that never circled back to the point. So sometimes you could get lost in what max is actually saying. He is much better on the radio because they make you confine your points because you have marks you have to meet for station ID.

Hmm...

Stephen A?

I agree I always thought they were an odd pairing and I enjoy the show with Max, J Will and Keyshawn a whole lot more.

Only thing about Stephen A's point is that he still hasn't found anybody that works well with him since Skip imo...Max has bounced back

Max was jus indecisive when he was ask questions

who is better Lebron or Kobe

Max - i'm gonna explain why both of them are better


this one of the reasons Max was fired

Dash420 said I agree I always thought they were an odd pairing and I enjoy the show with Max, J Will and Keyshawn a whole lot more. Only thing about Stephen A's point is that he still hasn't found anybody that works well with him since Skip imo...Max has bounced back

This KJM is my go too and not only that Max has his own show ‘This Just In’ and he does Boxing.

Max bounced back like seriously proves to show that he never needed Screamin’ a*s Smith.

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Avon_Barksdale said This KJM is my go too and not only that Max has his own show ‘This Just In’ and he does Boxing. Max bounced back like seriously proves to show that he never needed Screamin’ a*s Smith.

Yeah they're my go to in the morning otw to work as well. Overall, the sports shows have gone down hill idk why

Infamous1 said Its cuz Max was to woke

He's smart, thoughtful, articulate, and speaks with grace.. All things SAS is unable and or unwilling to do.

slimboyballer said view image view image

How is he supposedly tap dancing because of this tweet?

Dash420 said Yeah they're my go to in the morning otw to work as well. Overall, the sports shows have gone down hill idk why

Same with me.

I think most of them went to because, every body is always trying to “one up” each to see who has the hottest “takes”.

Because, what comes with that is exposure to their shoes. It makes people want to tune in imo.

He picks his f*ghts with people he believes he can get the best of

215Philly said The duo dried up, once it dry up its time to move on

Ain't no way you saying the current clown show is better then Stephen A vs max.

Notice they limit the amount of time a true counter of him is available like JJ red*ck or Jay Williams. Anyways it’s all entertainment anyways no real analysis is promoted.