If you’ve spent even five minutes watching First Take, you know that Stephen A. Smith’s voice fills up a room. It fills up a stadium. Honestly, it probably fills up the entire tri-state area when he’s really getting into a rant about the Dallas Cowboys. But because he’s constantly surrounded by literal giants—NBA players who make "normal" tall people look like toddlers—it's surprisingly hard to get a sense of his actual physical scale.
So, let’s get into the weeds of it. How tall is Stephen A. Smith?
Most official records and reputable talent databases, including his performer profile on IMDb, list Stephen A. Smith at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 meters).
Now, if you’re sitting on your couch and you’re 5'9", that sounds pretty tall. But on the ESPN set, height is a total optical illusion. You’ve got Stephen A. standing next to someone like Kendrick Perkins, who is a massive 6'10". When you’re nearly a foot shorter than the guy you’re arguing with, the camera makes you look "small," even if you’re technically taller than the average American male.
The 6'1" vs. 6'2" Debate
You’ll occasionally see some sources—and even some fan theories on Reddit—claiming Stephen A. is actually 6'2". There’s a bit of a "height inflation" culture in sports media, mostly because these guys are trying to maintain a certain level of physical authority when they’re interviewing world-class athletes.
✨ Don't miss: What Time Did the Cubs Game End Today? The Truth About the Off-Season
If you look at recent photos of him standing next to public figures whose heights are verified, the 6'1" mark holds up pretty well.
- John Cena: Usually listed at 6'1". In photos where they are side-by-side, they look almost identical in height.
- Caitlin Clark: The WNBA star is listed at 6'0". When she appeared on First Take, Stephen A. appeared to have about an inch on her, which checks out.
- Dan Orlovsky: The former NFL QB is a legit 6'5". When they stand next to each other, the four-inch gap is very noticeable, debunking any claims that Stephen A. might be creeping up toward 6'3".
It’s also worth noting that in the world of basketball, height is often a moving target. For years, the NBA was notorious for listing players in their shoes, which adds an easy 1 to 1.5 inches. Since Stephen A. played college ball at Winston-Salem State under the legendary Clarence "Big House" Gaines, he’s intimately familiar with how the "basketball height" game works.
He wasn't a benchwarmer, either. He was a guard. In that world, being 6'1" is basically being a "little man," which probably explains why he has such a massive chip on his shoulder when discussing the "bigs" in the league today.
Why Does It Even Matter?
You might wonder why people are so obsessed with the height of a guy who spends 90% of his time sitting behind a desk. It’s about presence.
🔗 Read more: Jake Ehlinger Sign: The Real Story Behind the College GameDay Controversy
Stephen A. Smith has built a career on being a "dominator." He dominates the conversation, the ratings, and the room. In television production, physical stature contributes to what they call "perceived authority." If he were 5'5", his screaming matches with Mad Dog Russo would feel very different. At 6'1", he has the physical frame to "stand his ground" during a segment, even when he's being towered over by a retired center.
There was a hilarious moment on his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show, where he joked about dating and height. He basically said he wouldn't date a woman taller than him but followed it up with the classic line: "Height don't matter in the dark." It’s that kind of self-awareness that makes the height question so funny. He knows he’s not a giant, but he refuses to be treated like he's small.
The "First Take" Desk Factor
TV sets are designed to equalize people. If you’ve ever seen a behind-the-scenes shot of a news or sports desk, you’ll see some wild stuff. Shorter guests often sit on extra cushions. Tables are built at specific heights to make everyone’s shoulders line up.
Because Stephen A. is usually the "alpha" on his show, the framing is almost always centered on him. When they move to the "debate desk," the chairs are adjusted so he doesn't look like he's looking up at his guests. This is why it’s always a shock to fans when they see a "fan photo" of him in the wild—he’s usually taller than they expected.
💡 You might also like: What Really Happened With Nick Chubb: The Injury, The Recovery, and The Houston Twist
Comparing Him to Other Sports Personalities
To give you some perspective, let's look at how he stacks up against his peers in the industry:
- Skip Bayless: Stephen A.’s former "sparring partner" is reportedly around 5'10". When they stood next to each other, Stephen A. was clearly the taller man.
- Shannon Sharpe: "Unc" is listed at 6'2". When Shannon joined First Take, he had a slight edge on Stephen A., which matches the one-inch difference.
- Molly Qerim: The moderator of First Take is 5'6". In heels, she gets close to Stephen A.'s height, but he still maintains the taller profile on stage.
Final Verdict on the Stature of SAS
So, is he a giant? No. Is he short? Definitely not.
Stephen A. Smith is a solid 6'1". He’s a guy who played college basketball, understands the physicality of the game, and uses his frame to command the screen. While the internet will always debate whether a celebrity is "actually" as tall as they say, the evidence from side-by-side comparisons with athletes and other celebrities suggests that 6'1" is the real deal.
He doesn't need to be 6'10" to be the biggest person in the room. His personality does that for him.
If you're looking to compare yourself to the legend, just find someone who's 6'1" and imagine them yelling at you about the state of the New York Knicks. That’s the full Stephen A. experience.
Actionable Insights:
- If you're ever in a position where you need to project authority (like a presentation or a meeting), take a page out of the SAS playbook: it's less about your actual height and more about your posture and vocal projection.
- Don't trust TV heights; look for photos of celebrities next to people with "standardized" heights, like NFL or NBA players who have undergone official league measurements.
- Remember that "camera angles" and "desk height" are the oldest tricks in the book to make media personalities look more imposing than they are in real life.