ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith made a surprising move during his latest interview. Smith while on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast shared, NBA star Kyrie Irving was right to speak out against the COVID-19 vaccines. Irving was previously forced to miss all his home games for the Brooklyn Nets due to refusing to get vaccinated. Yahoo Sports reported more details on Smith’s comments: Stephen A. Smith has never been shy about calling it how he sees it, especially when it comes to Kyrie Irving. The two have clashed for years, their personalities and principles often at odds. But in a rare turn of humility, the First Take host is now walking back some of his harshest words about the Dallas Mavericks star. During the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Smith admitted he might have gone too far when criticizing Irving during his tumultuous Brooklyn Nets stint, particularly around the guard’s decision not to take the COVID-19 vaccine, NJ reports. “Kyrie’s a good brother. We used to butt heads because he used to miss work too damn much,” Smith said. “And I’m like, yo man, this brother’s electrifying, I want to see this brother dancing on the basketball court. I don’t want to hear no sh*t about no COVID vaccines. Get your a** on the court. We see you. Now, obviously in hindsight, the brother’s right because we see all the conspiracy theories that came out. And props to him for having the foresight to see that. We didn’t see that at the time.” Smith didn’t specify what “conspiracy theories” he was referring to, but his comments suggest a new level of empathy toward Irving’s perspective. It’s a striking reversal from his earlier stance, when he accused Irving of arrogance and selfishness for defying team and league protocols. When Irving refused the vaccine during his Nets tenure, the move sidelined him for much of the 2021–22 season and made him a lightning rod for criticism. Smith led that charge, publicly blasting the guard for “letting down” teammates and fans. But in the years since, Irving has rebuilt both his image and his career. His resurgence with Dallas, capped by a trip to the 2024 NBA Finals, reminded everyone just how special he is when he’s locked in. The conversation now reflects something deeper: a recognition that players, even polarizing ones, have the right to stand by their beliefs. While Smith’s claim that Irving was “right” may not align with medical consensus, the CDC and FDA still recommend the vaccine for most adults, it shows how public opinion can evolve once emotions settle. Watch Smith here: BREAKING: ESPN host Stephen A Smith just admitted that NBA star Kyrie Irving was right about not trusting the vaccine. The world is finally telling the truth. pic.twitter.com/2vl2LCy3nv — Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) October 20, 2025 ESPN reported more details on Irving refusing to get vaccinated which resulted in him losing millions of dollars: Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving says he turned down a four-year extension prior to the 2021-22 season because of his decision not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. “I gave up four years, 100-and-something million deciding to be unvaccinated and that was the decision,” Irving said during Nets media day on Monday. “[Get this] contract, get vaccinated or be unvaccinated and there’s a level of uncertainty of your future, whether you’re going to be in this league, whether you’re going to be on this team, so I had to deal with that real-life circumstance of losing my job for this decision.” Irving, who is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and was forced to miss home games in Brooklyn until late March because of a New York City vaccination mandate, opted into the final year of his contract, a player option worth $36.5 million, prior to the season. The 30-year-old said he felt the decision whether to get vaccinated was like “an ultimatum” from the organization, in regard to his contract. Irving said he was hopeful that he would have the contract terms set prior to last season. “We were supposed to have all that figured out before training camp last year,” Irving said. “And it just didn’t happen because of the status of me being vaccinated, unvaccinated. So, I understood their point and I just had to live with it. It was a tough pill to swallow, honestly.”