The Oklahoma City Thunder played their first Western Conference finals game since 2016 on Tuesday night. A lot has changed since then. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden are all long gone. Presumptive NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was still in high school and Malika Andrews, who hosted ESPN's on-site coverage last night, was still in college the last time the media descended on OKC for the conference finals.
In fact, this was Andrews's first-ever trip to Oklahoma City, a fact which was commemorated when the Thunder's mascot interrupted the pregame show to give her a gift live on-air.
While it was a fun, lighthearted moment, Stephen A. Smith did not seem impressed.
Smith began his reaction with an exaggerated eye roll that would have made Liz Lemon proud. When asked by Andrews about the series, he began with a comment about the way Andrews had been welcomed to the city.
"One of us have to sound like something other than an elected official in Oklahoma City," said Smith. "You understand that everyone's celebrating, salivating over... Somebody's got to be objective."
Somebody get that man his own button.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Malika Andrews Received a Gift During ESPN Pregame, Stephen A. Smith Wasn't Impressed.
