Stephen A. Smiths Solitaire Moment: Multitasking During NBA Finals Game 4 and the Debate on Professionalism in Live Broadcasting

Stephen A. Smith, the popular ESPN sports analyst, found himself in the midst of a social media storm after being caught playing solitaire during Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday night. The first picture of Smith playing the card game quickly went viral after being posted by Hoops Legion on X, with Smith himself sharing the post and claiming he was multitasking. "Yep! That’s me. Who would’ve thought," The First Take host wrote. "I can multi-task. Especially during TIMEOUTS! Hope y’all are enjoying the NBA Finals. This is going 7 games now, peeps!" However, a video later posted showed that Smith had his solitaire game on amid the action on the court, prompting criticism from social media users. Despite the backlash, Smith stood by his explanation and posted a screenshot of a solitaire game with a stream of the Thunder-Pacers game at the bottom of the screen. The 57-year-old's viral moment came as the NBA is under fire for the drop in ratings and lack of interest in the Finals, with the association criticized for the lack of special presentations to make the Finals different than regular season games. On Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined Smith and the ESPN panel to address the drastic decline in viewership. While the numbers suggest poor performances on the airwaves, Silver suggested that the Finals are dominating the small markets involved. "It's an interesting time in society," Silver said. "We have two markets that are completely captured by the Finals. Every store you go to, there's signage. Everybody on the street is wearing team colors. I've been doing this for a long time; I don't remember it being two markets that feel so dominant to have these games." Before Friday's game, Smith predicted that the Indiana Pacers would win the Finals series if they took a 3-1 lead at home. Unfortunately, the Thunder played spoiler by tying the series with a 111-104 win. The Thunder will now host the Pacers for Game 5 at Paycom Center on Monday night, with Smith likely to be just as busy multitasking as he was during Game 4. The incident has sparked a debate about whether it is appropriate for analysts to engage in personal activities during professional events, especially when it is broadcasted live to millions of viewers. Some argue that it is unprofessional and distracting, while others believe that it is a harmless way to relax and stay engaged during long breaks in play. Regardless of the opinion on this matter, it is clear that Stephen A. Smith's viral moment has once again brought attention to the NBA and its struggles to maintain viewer interest in the Finals. As the series continues, it will be interesting to see if Smith will continue to multitask or if he will focus more on his analysis and commentary during future games.