Stephen A. Smith’s Daughter Samantha Makes Rare ESPN Appearance

Stephen A. Smith may be known for his bold takes and loud voice on ESPN, but this time, it was someone else from the Smith family who grabbed all the attention. His 17-year-old daughter, Samantha A. Smith, made a rare and unexpectedly hilarious appearance during Game 6 of the NBA Finals—and she didn’t hold back.

The Surprise Cameo

It all went down live on ESPN, with Smith on duty alongside Elle Duncan. In what felt like an impromptu “Bring Your Daughter to Work” moment, Duncan pulled Samantha into the broadcast from the sidelines.

Stephen A. looked… let’s just say, tense.

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Samantha? Totally chill.

“Hi guys, I’m Samantha,” she said confidently, before adding, “I’m talking here,” when her dad tried to pull the mic away.

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Cue the laughs. Cue the internet melting.

She Has Opinions—And She’s Not Afraid to Share Them

Later in the broadcast, Malika Andrews invited Samantha back to the panel to make a game prediction.

Her pick? Oklahoma City Thunder.
Stephen A. had picked the Indiana Pacers.

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“I think Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] has been killing it all season,” Samantha explained. “He won MVP for a reason.”

Everyone else on the panel agreed—Samantha brought the energy and the analysis. And Stephen A.? Well, he looked slightly defeated.

“She usually beats me on predictions,” he admitted with a laugh.

A Star in the Making

Turns out, Samantha isn’t new to the spotlight. She’s already got acting credits under her belt with roles in Peacock’s The Best Man: The Final Chapters and Disney+’s Saturdays.

At just 17, she’s already proving she can handle live TV, a national audience, and—even better—go toe-to-toe with her dad in the prediction game.

Stephen A. on Fatherhood

Smith didn’t publicly talk about being a dad until 2019. Since then, he’s been vocal about how much his daughters mean to him.

“They are everything to me,” he said during a 2023 interview on The Breakfast Club.

Even with all the media success and TV fame, Smith makes it clear—his girls come first.

Want More Samantha Moments?

If you loved seeing Samantha Smith on ESPN, you might just be seeing more of her soon—whether on screen or behind the mic.

One thing’s clear: she’s smart, funny, and absolutely fearless. Just like her dad—but with her own voice.