Stephen A. Smith defends colleague Malika Andrews following ‘extreme’ heat from ex-Cowboys WR Dez Bryant over alleged racial discrimination in Josh Giddey’s case

Smith revealed that Andrews was just doing her job, and Bryant should refrain from making unnecessary statements without having the background knowledge to back up his claims.

Stephen A. Smith defends colleague Malika Andrews following ‘extreme’ heat from ex-Cowboys WR Dez Bryant over alleged racial discrimination in Josh Giddey’s case

Dez Bryant Stephen A Smith and Malika Andrews (Image via YouTube)

Former NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant as well as several others called out ESPN host and reporter Malika Andrews for her lack of interest shown in the Josh Giddey case, unlike she did for Brandon Miller during the NBA Draft. 

Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith has chosen to defend his young colleague, claiming that Bryant doesn’t have the full picture of what is happening behind the scenes.

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Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Giddey is under investigation by the NBA and the police for an alleged illicit relationship with an underage girl. It has been covered extensively by almost all media platforms throughout the country. Yet Bryant argued that Andrews was too lenient when covering Giddey.

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The former Dallas Cowboys man, in a fiery post, advised Andrews not to make it “a black or white thing.” Not only that, he kicked it up a notch, saying that her parents “raised you wrong.”

Stephen A. Smith, in a recent segment of his YouTube podcast, chimed in with his take on the matter. Smith said:

I respect you, Dez, my brother, but that was a bit extreme. Getting on Malika Andrews about this, I believe, is off-kilter. And it’s a bit extreme to bring up her parents, her upbringing, and some private school education. Come on, Dez! What if she brought up your stuff?

The veteran sports analyst went on to explain what the ESPN Network‘s stand is. Continuing further, he added: 

Josh [Giddey] is being investigated for allegedly messing with an underage girl. We don’t know the facts! The investigation is ongoing by the NBA, and the OKC Thunder refuses to comment. And because we don’t know the facts and because we represent a network, we have to make sure our Is are dotted and Ts crossed before we provide commentary on that.
https://twitter.com/AnswerThePole/status/1730023549929234716

Dez Bryant replied to Stephen A. Smith regarding Malika Andrews

Moments after Smith’s monologue ended, Bryant took to X (formerly) to clarify what he tried to imply through his previous tweet. The 35-year-old apologized for coming on too hard on Andrews but also put forward the condition that he is willing to have a debate if Andrews decides to talk face-to-face on air.

Stephen A. Smith defends colleague Malika Andrews following ‘extreme’ heat from ex-Cowboys WR Dez Bryant over alleged racial discrimination in Josh Giddey’s case
ex-Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (Image via Sky Sports)

According to the All-Pro rusher, Andrews’ choice not to report Giddey doesn’t paint a pretty picture. Bryant wrote.

I do want to apologize for coming so aggressively at Malika Andrews. But I do wonder if she even realizes how certain things look. Sports and media are big deals for the culture. I’ve battled my entire sports career, pleading with the world. Millions of dollars to do a job are not worth more than a human's mental health, especially if you have a family who loves you.

The three-time Pro Bowler claimed that he was the ‘voice of people who are afraid to speak.’ Bryant claimed that he doesn’t wish to make it a ‘black and white’ matter. However, he revealed that he had seen enough systematic racism that he couldn’t let this situation slide by.

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