Discussion
Stephen A. names the REAL ISSUE plaguing the NBA … and it’s NOT tanking? 📉 | First Take
Stephen A. Smith, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and Vincent Goodwill join Shae Cornette on First Take to debate the tanking issue around the league. 0:00 Mark Cuban’s opinion on tanking 2:46 Mad Dog’s thoughts 4:50 Stephen A. chimes in 7:43 What the Utah Jazz did 9:07 All-Star Weekend improvements ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: #ESPN…
@BWalters-j1b
February 18, 2026 at 7:49 pm
Wooo SAS I lived in Dallas and Mark Cuban does not do a DAM THING for the fans or the city.
@bangeralertentertainment
February 18, 2026 at 8:08 pm
Who is this diet Stephan A
@AllegiantRaider
February 18, 2026 at 8:09 pm
Anybody miss Molly Qerim yet? 😅
@HHHPedigrees
February 18, 2026 at 10:28 pm
She’s better looking than this Erika Kirk lookalike they have now
@jerrymunder1660
February 18, 2026 at 8:10 pm
Retain the draft. But have the worst ten teams at about the 65th or 56th game play a double or triple round robin games between themselves. Records at the end will be basis of draft ranking, higher the win the higher the draft rank.
@randomdude12370
February 18, 2026 at 8:13 pm
So even when you’re not talking about LeBron you’re still posting LeBron?
@SaltyJazz-g2b
February 18, 2026 at 8:16 pm
Thanks Mark Cuban. Let these hypocrites with their double standards carry their water for Adam Silver. “Let em’ know!!!”
@SaltyJazz-g2b
February 18, 2026 at 8:17 pm
You can thank Greg Poppivich for the ” load management ” problem and the Tanking issue.
@joseph-h3r6q
February 18, 2026 at 8:19 pm
Uiii
@juanherrera1726
February 18, 2026 at 8:20 pm
The fix? Have fireworks and music go off for dunking… Just like allstar dunk contest. The 3 is the problem, make them go in the paint and set bonus per dunk / blocks
@Limitlessable
February 18, 2026 at 8:25 pm
How come every time someone calls out gambling Stephen A. disagrees and tries to overthrow the take 😂
@nicholasedwards818
February 18, 2026 at 8:26 pm
I don’t know anyone that actually watches basketball games
@Mhart1976
February 18, 2026 at 8:29 pm
Are we not going to address when the top teams, that have locked up their playoff spot, start resting players for the playoffs. Those games at the end of the season suck.
@nicholasbeverly984
February 18, 2026 at 8:36 pm
Ok the problem with the current NBA is tanking and rest management which all began with LeBron James and his crew it won’t change until some of younger stars decide to stop
@Tunez74
February 18, 2026 at 8:43 pm
SAS and others are slow. In order for people to see the entertainment they must be able to afford it right???? How you gonna say people paid already for things when next month they won’t have it? People are being priced out physically and digitally and the rich will not fill those seats on a nightly basis to see ‘competition’. 😒
@tosinbalogun1013
February 18, 2026 at 8:44 pm
Awarding lottery picks for the poor teams is the issue the winners of regular season and finals should get a spot in the lottery and if the regular season and finals is the same winner then a spot should be opened to the 2nd best team.
@URBANLEGEND543
February 18, 2026 at 8:50 pm
Why is LeBron on thumbnail?
@Bingbongboi365
February 18, 2026 at 9:15 pm
Probably to get you to comment for engagement, dumbie
@eddiemars91
February 18, 2026 at 9:17 pm
No I said this before i said it again. How you ended a season should not effect your odds in the draft. It should be a lottery with each team having the same 1 in 30 odds
@rezasanjari3305
February 18, 2026 at 9:19 pm
Cuban always been an idiot
@YAniqueDuke
February 18, 2026 at 9:35 pm
Everyone always says no one cares about the Nets on repeat. If no one cared, then you wouldn’t have to say it. And they wouldn’t fill the Barclay’s Center.
@Augusto0926
February 18, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Nah he NAILED Cuban with the discount on tickets 😂
@CapersTV
February 18, 2026 at 9:44 pm
9:26 “i love Leonard” 😂 no one calls him Leonard lol
@JoeyGatsby
February 18, 2026 at 9:49 pm
Guess LeBron the face of the league. Because why he in the thumbnail
@HHHPedigrees
February 18, 2026 at 10:26 pm
Face of load management. He missed half of the season to pout about the Lakers not resigning him
@priztucker
February 18, 2026 at 9:52 pm
PHILADELPHIA tanked for 10 years to end up where they are. That needs to be studied.
@HHHPedigrees
February 18, 2026 at 10:22 pm
NBA should just inform the fans which games is not worth buying tickets for. Utterly ridiculous.
@Lazaven
February 18, 2026 at 10:24 pm
I don’t know who that random guy is with the cream suit, but they need to get him off the show ASAP