Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes

Stephen A. Smith

Jan 2023 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEE

America’s most popular sports media figure tells it like it is in this “raw, deeply authentic, and immensely entertaining” (Bob Iger, #1 New York Times bestselling author and CEO of The Walt Disney Company) book, not only dishing out his signature, uninhibited opinions but also revealing the challenges he overcame in childhood as well as at ESPN.

Stephen A. Smith has never been handed anything, nor was he an overnight success. Growing up poor in Queens, the son of Caribbean immigrants and the youngest of six children, he was a sports-obsessed kid who faced struggles, from undiagnosed dyslexia to getting enough cereal to fill his bowl. As a basketball player at Winston-Salem State University, he got a glimmer of his true calling when he wrote a newspaper column arguing for the retirement of his own Hall of Fame coach, Clarence Gaines.

Smith hustled and rose up from a reporter on the high school beat at Daily News (New York) to a general sports columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer before getting his own show at ESPN in 2005. After he was unceremoniously fired from the network in 2009, he became even more determined to fight for success. He got himself rehired two years later and, with his razor-sharp intelligence and fearless debate style, found the show he was destined to star in: First Take, the network’s flagship morning program.

In Straight Shooter, Smith writes about the greatest highs and deepest lows of his life and career. He gives his thoughts on Skip Bayless, Ray Rice, Colin Kaepernick, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Cowboys, and former President Donald Trump. But he also pulls back the curtain and talks about life beyond the set, sharing authentic stories about his negligent father, his loving mother, being a father himself, his battle with life-threatening COVID-19, and what he really thinks about politics and social issues. He does it all with the same intelligence, humor, and charm that has made him a household name.

A provocative and moving “blueprint of tenacity” (Fat Joe), this book is the perfect gift for lovers of sports, television, and anyone who likes their stories delivered straight to the heart.

Ratings and reviews

Great Dive into a very private life of a very public figure. I respect him even more now with context. most importantly, this book is a genuine, thank you letter to everyone that made him a success.

Authentic and honest, Stephen A provides a deep dive into how he became who he is. From frustration and failure, to success and satisfaction, we are given an introspective look at one of the all time great sports influencers. Stephen A is a Straight Shooter!

Great read on how a successful man worked hard; and had faith in his abilities to always do a good job of reporting the facts. His understanding of people human condition based on their abilities to be great, not with standing what environment they came from; or how they learned how to be great at their abilities to be successful in their chosen sport.

About the author

Stephen A. Smith rose from a reporter on high school sports at the Daily News (New York) and college and NBA beat reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer to become the face of ESPN and its most important on-air personality. He is the star of the #1 morning sports talk show First Take; a premiere analyst on ESPN and ABC’s NBA Countdown; the host of NBA in Stephen A’s World on ESPN2 and ESPN+; and the host and producer of the podcast K[no]w Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Smith has more than 12 million followers across social media platforms, and his opinions on sports make daily headlines. Follow him on Twitter @StephenASmith.