The 2025 NBA Finals have delivered plenty of drama on the court—but another talked-about moment came from the sidelines, courtesy of Stephen A. Smith’s daughter, Samantha Smith. The teenager stole the spotlight with a hilarious impersonation of her father’s signature ranting style, and the internet can’t get enough.
Samantha was spotted courtside ahead of Game 6 in Indianapolis, where her father was covering the Finals for ESPN. After being introduced on air, she delivered a playful and pitch-perfect impression of Stephen A.’s famously animated commentary—complete with exaggerated hand gestures, dramatic pauses, and a mock-serious tone.
“Where’s the defense?!”
she exclaimed, mimicking one of her dad’s go-to critiques. The resemblance—in both delivery and attitude—was uncanny.
The clip quickly made the rounds on social media, with fans dubbing her “Stephen A. Jr.” and praising her charisma. One user wrote, “She was spot on with this one 😂”, while another joked, “Stephen A. cooked with this kid—she’s hilarious.”
Though the video resurfaced during the Finals, it was originally posted by Samantha as a Father’s Day tribute last year. At the time, she admitted she was nervous to share it, but the moment has now taken on a life of its own—especially with her dad’s high-profile presence during the championship series.
Yeah definitely his daughter 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/WuQh98sLl2 pic.twitter.com/87RPMNmWKB
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) June 19, 2025
Stephen A., known for his larger-than-life personality on First Take, appeared both amused and proud. In a behind-the-scenes clip, he could be seen laughing and shaking his head as the crowd reacted to his daughter’s performance.
