Stephen A. Smith is fresh off a big deal with ESPN and basking in that sweet spot of being asked if he would consider running for president in 2028 without any of the actual responsbilities that come with running for the nation's top office. He has addressed the situation in many, many different forums over the past month or so, generating headlines from almost evey appearance. With multiple years before this becomes a serious decision to make either way, the storyline figures to be part of our lives for some time.
While much remains to be seen regarding Smith's long-term viability as a candidate, it's much clearer where Charles Barkley—an equally titanic figure in the sports media universe—stands on the candidacy.
"Calm down, Stephen A.—and Stephen A. is one of my friends," Barkley told Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina when asked about Smith dipping his toes in these waters. "C'mon, man. Stop it. C'mon. It had to start out as a joke and he started taking it serious. C'mon, man. All I would say is 'knock it off.' And that's the best way to phrase it."
So does that mean Barkley won't be casting his vote for another all-time pundit?
"No," Barkley said. "Hard no."
More on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Charles Barkley Would Not Vote for Stephen A. Smith if He Runs for President.
