Stephen A. Smith (born October 14, 1967) is a prominent American sports analyst and commentator, best known for his outspoken role as an NBA analyst on ESPN's First Take and NBA Countdown. Raised in Queens, New York, by parents from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Smith attended Winston-Salem State University on a basketball scholarship, but a severe knee injury ended his playing career before he graduated with a mass communication degree in 1991. His journalism career began in print media, including a notable and turbulent stint with The Philadelphia Inquirer, where he was demoted in 2007 but later reinstated after an arbitrator's ruling in 2010. In radio, he made headlines in 2009 by breaking the news of Allen Iverson's retirement and correctly predicting that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh would all join the Miami Heat in 2010. After a brief time at Fox Sports Radio, Smith returned to ESPN in 2011, cementing his status as one of the most recognizable and polarizing voices in sports media.