Stephen A. Smith Gets Real On Skip Bayless' 'Undisputed' Exit

Skip Bayless' departure from Fox Sports' "Undisputed" was a major talking point amongst sports fans. Bayless, a fixture of the scene for over forty years, left Stephen A. Smith's "First Take"  in 2016 to create "Undisputed". With the media veteran's announcement, fans were curious about how Smith would react.

Instead of over-reacting or dunking on Skip Bayless, Stephen A. Smith took the classier option. Smith allotted the last twelve minutes of his most recent podcast episode praising his former colleague. Smith thanked Bayless for helping him jumpstart his career and defended him from the criticism and trolling he's getting.

“Where I am, where I’ve been, and especially where the hell I’m going with the stuff I’ve got coming down the pike in a matter of months … none of it’s possible if Skip Bayless doesn’t extend that helping hand and bring me on First Take," Smith said.

"I’ll never forget that. I never have, I never will," Smith continued. "You want to hold on to something that I have to say about Skip Bayless, hold on to that."

Bayless and Smith were former co-hosts on ESPN's First Take. The duo became widely popular in the NBA circle due to their entertaining debates. In 2016, Bayless left First Take and started "Undisputed" with Shannon Sharpe.

It's not quite clear yet what Bayless' next move will be after this move. Will he reunite with Smith at ESPN? It's certainly an intriguing possibility.