The host of ESPN, Stephen A. Smith, needs to learn that when you play stupid games, stupid awards, especially when you base the legend of tennis serene Williams.

Smith, who is now considering a presidential race, criticized Williams for performing the Crip walking during the mid -time show of the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl earlier this year. Both the 23 -time holder of the Grand Slam title and the Hail de Lamar de Compton, and Williams’s brief dance was a wink to the culture of the area, a nuance that apparently escaped Smith.

“If I am married, and my wife will join Trolleando to his ex, he returns to his butt,” Smith said during a February ESPN segment “First Take” podcast.

He was referring to Williams’s brief relationship with rapper Drake, who has had a long dispute with Lamar.

Smith received his comments at that time, and months after acting, Williams shared his own reaction to them.

Serena Williams acts during the Halftime Show of Apple Music Super Bowl in Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025 in New Orleans.
Serena Williams acts during the Halftime Show of Apple Music Super Bowl in Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025 in New Orleans.

Kevin Mazur through Getty Images

“I thought it was funny,” Williams He said at the time In an interview published on Wednesday. “You are allowed to have your personal opinion. But did you see my husband’s comment? It was so eloquent.”

She referred to her husband, Alexis Ohanianwho spoke a viral comment on X, previously Twitter.

“Some of you have no idea how criticized it was serene for this same dance in Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows.” Ohanian wrote February 10. “This is bigger than music.”

After the performance, Williams addressed the comment in X as a champion:

“I think I tried 23 times (not counting 4 gold medals) that I simply do not have time for petty. All love and respect always anything negative here,” he wrote.