# Stephen A Smith says white players are not good enough to win NBA championships

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/stephen-a-smith-says-white-players-are-not-good-enough-to-win-nba-championships/
- Published: 2026-11-11T22:23:48+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T23:35:38+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/stephen-a-smith-says-white-players-not-good-enough-win-nba-championships
- Topics: Basketball, Sport, World

## Key points

- Smith doubts the Lakers can win with three white stars.
- He cites race rather than basketball performance.
- The article points to the NBA’s racial make-up as context.

## Summary

Stephen A. Smith said he expects the Los Angeles Lakers to fall before the NBA Finals, arguing that a team led by three white players has never won a championship and will not do so this season. His comments focus on the players’ race rather than their basketball performance, making his claim a contentious judgment about race and success in the league.

The article identifies Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler as the Lakers trio in question and says they are statistically the NBA’s best overall trio this season. It notes that white players make up roughly 17% of the league, compared with about 75% who are Black, and argues that this smaller pool helps explain why three white stars have not previously led a title-winning team. Smith had made a similar argument in July, though the article says he then framed it differently.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.