“You’re a disgrace!” – Stephen A. Smith refusing to pronounce Chimezie Metu’s name on air triggers NBA fans on social media

Chimezie Metu produced a commanding display during the Phoenix Suns' recent matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.

“You’re a disgrace!” – Stephen A. Smith refusing to pronounce Chimezie Metu’s name on air triggers NBA fans on social media

Chimezie Metu and Stephen A Smith (via Open Source/X)

Chimezie Metu and the Phoenix Suns were up against the Dallas Mavericks in a Christmas night game at the Footprint Center. The Suns ultimately fell to a Luka Doncic-inspired Mavericks 128-114, condemning them to their third straight defeat in a row. Luka Doncic ended the game with 50 points, six rebounds and 15 assists. On the other hand, Grayson Allen led for the Suns with an impressive 32 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

The Nigerian-American basketball player for the Suns, Chimezie Metu, delivered an outstanding performance as well, setting a career-high by scoring 23 points. In addition, he secured an impressive 19 rebounds and contributed two assists. Displaying immense defensive prowess, Metu also recorded one steal and was a nuisance throughout. His shooting efficiency was also notable, with a 9/18 field goal percentage and a 2/6 success rate from beyond the arc.

Stephen A. Smith during the game’s halftime show still ended up going on a rant and refused to pronounce the name of the Nigerian-American. Smith is no stranger to controversies himself and invoked the ire of fans who went on social media to discuss why the analyst had been downright disrespectful of the Nigerian-American basketball player.

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Smith had said the following when Metu’s performance came up:

Their leading scorer is a name that. I'll not pronounce it.

The Nigeria Basketball Twitter account responded with the following tweet, outlining their issue with Smith:

Stephen A. Smith disrespecting our names once again. Chimezie Metu is not difficult to pronounce if you take the time to learn it. Please do better.

Chimezie Chukwudum Metu, who plays as a power forward or center, started his NBA career as the 2018 second-round, 49th overall pick of the San Antonio Spurs team. He played for the Sacramento Kings (2020-2023) before joining the Suns.

Fans react to Stephen A. Smith’s action on Suns’ Chimezie Metu

At the halftime break of the Christmas day game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns, a peculiar incident unfolded as the renowned sports commentator, Stephen A. Smith, generated an unusual moment. He chose not to pronounce the name of the Nigerian-American basketball player for the Phoenix Suns, creating an intriguing scene.

Stephen A Smith ( via Sports Illustrated).
Stephen A Smith ( Image via Sports Illustrated).

Fans went on the popular social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter) to express their views:

In the current season, Chimezie is maintaining an average of 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game, showcasing a notable 50% field goal accuracy. Regardless of the performances, Smith’s antics were bound to be viewed as highly disrespectful by a range of viewers.

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