Stephen A. Smith is easily one of the most opinionated men in all of sports media and every so often, he comes through with some opinions that leave fans scratching their heads. Most recently, he went on First Take and gave a list of five people that Michael Jordan should be thankful for. You would think that most of these people would have to do with the Chicago Bulls but as it turns out, the list is actually quite the mixed bag and can be made open for debate.
As you can see from the clip below, it starts out with Smith ranking Phil Jackson fifth, Isiah Thomas fourth, Scottie Pippen third, Magic Johnson second, and David Falk first. All of these choices were backed up by some sound reasoning although you can't help but feel like maybe Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson should be above guys like Thomas and Johnson.
It's impossible to accomplish anything all on your own and Jordan wasn't the exception to that rule. He had plenty of great partners and rivals over the years and those listed by Smith are all great options.
Fans might be particularly surprised by Falk's inclusion here but he is the man behind Jordan's Nike deal which has brought in billions of dollars over the years. Clearly, Falk is the unsung hero of Jordan's career.
Kobe & Gianna Bryant Memorial: All The Attendees
A who’s who in Hollywood showed out to say goodbye to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna as they were immortalized at the STAPLES Center.
Today’s date contains the jersey numbers of Gianna Bryant (2) and Kobe Bryant (24) so it was only right to hold a public memorial for them on this day. Taking place at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, a building that Kobe Bryant made famous, the legend and his daughter were remembered by the world. If you weren’t able to snatch a ticket to the event, it was live-streamed for free on TIDAL. A who’s who of people in Kobe’s life, as well as men and women who idolized him from afar, took their seats in the arena before Vanessa Bryant, Michael Jordan, Jimmy Kimmel, and others addressed the crowd.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images — Jimmy Kimmel speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant
In the audience, famous faces could be spotted everywhere. A bunch of Kobe’s former teammates, including Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, Lamar Odom, Metta World Peace, and others were seen in the audience. His former coaches and agents, including Rob Pelinka, Byron Scott, and Phil Jackson were also there. Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé took the stage to sing, while A-listers Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, Jay-Z, and more watched on.
The touching ceremony was bittersweet to watch. It included speeches from MJ, a heartbreaking eulogy from Vanessa Bryant to her daughter Gigi, and more.
Mamba out, but never forgotten.
