You see him every single day on ESPN. He’s leaning across the desk, shouting over Kendrick Perkins, or looking up—way up—at some seven-foot NBA center he’s interviewing. It makes you wonder. If the average guy is roughly 5'9", how does this sports media giant actually measure up when he’s not behind a camera? Honestly, people have been debating how tall is Stephen A. Smith for years because, on TV, everything is an illusion.
The camera adds ten pounds, but it also messes with your sense of scale. Put Stephen A. next to a "normal" person and he looks like a giant. Put him next to Shaquille O'Neal and he looks like a toddler.
The Real Number: Stephen A. Smith Height Explained
Let’s just get the official stats out of the way before we dive into the confusion. Most verified sources, including his performer profile on IMDb and various athletic records, list Stephen A. Smith at 6 feet 1 inch tall.
Some newer reports from late 2025 have occasionally bumped that number to 6'2", but 6'1" (about 185 cm) is the consistent baseline.
That’s actually pretty tall. In the "real world," being 6'1" means you're taller than about 85% of men in the United States. You're the guy who reaches the top shelf at the grocery store. You're the one people notice when you walk into a room. But Stephen A. doesn't work in the real world. He works in the land of giants.
When he’s standing on the set of First Take, he is frequently surrounded by former professional athletes. Take Kendrick Perkins, for example. "Perk" is a massive human being, standing 6'10". When Stephen A. stands next to him, that 6'1" frame suddenly looks very, very small. It’s a classic case of relative perspective. You’ve probably seen clips of him looking like a literal child next to some of these guys, leading to the "Stephen A. is short" memes that dominate Twitter (now X).
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Why the Confusion Exists
Why do so many people think he’s barely 5'8"?
It’s the shoes and the suits. Stephen A. is known for his sharp tailoring. High-waisted trousers and well-fitted blazers can sometimes make a person look more compact than they really are, especially when seated. Most of the time, we only see him from the chest up.
There’s also the "Steve Smith" factor. If you search for "Steve Smith height," Google’s algorithm sometimes gets its wires crossed. You might see a result for the former NBA player Steve Smith, who is a towering 6'8". Or maybe the NFL’s Steve Smith Sr., who is 5'9". Our Stephen A. sits right in the middle of those two extremes.
Then you have his college days. People forget that Stephen A. actually played college ball. He attended Winston-Salem State University on a basketball scholarship. He played under the legendary coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines. You don't usually get a basketball scholarship at that level if you're a "short" guy, even if a knee injury eventually cut his playing career short. He was a guard, and at 6'1", he had the standard size for a backcourt player in that era.
Height Comparisons: Stephen A. vs. The World
To really wrap your head around his stature, you have to look at him next to other celebrities.
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- John Cena: The WWE legend is billed at 6'1". When the two have shared the screen, they are almost exactly eye-to-eye.
- Dan Orlovsky: The ESPN analyst is a former NFL QB standing 6'5". When they stand together, the four-inch difference is glaringly obvious.
- The Average Fan: If you met him at an airport, you’d likely be surprised at how much he towers over you.
Height is a bit of a sensitive spot for him, or at least a point of humor. He once joked on his podcast that he would never date a woman taller than him. He basically said he doesn't want to be looking "up" at his partner while walking down the street. He’s got that old-school mentality about being the "taller" one in the room, which is probably why he carries himself with the energy of someone who is 6'6".
The "Screamin' A" Presence
There is a psychological element to height that Stephen A. uses to his advantage. In media, height is often associated with authority. Being 6'1" gives him enough physical presence to not be "bullied" off the screen by the athletes he covers.
He isn't just a talking head; he’s a physical presence. Whether he’s pacing around the set or pointing a finger during a heated debate about the Cowboys, his height helps him command the space. If he were 5'5", that high-energy, aggressive debating style might come off differently. At over six feet, he has the "stature" to back up the big personality.
It's also worth noting that height in sports media is a bit of a running gag. Look at the Inside the NBA crew. You have Shaq and Charles Barkley constantly poking fun at "smaller" guys. Stephen A. has carved out a niche where he is the "everyman" who can still stand tall—literally—among the pros.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that he's a "little guy."
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Social media is a liar. Because we see him mostly through the lens of NBA coverage, we compare him to the 1% of the population that is exceptionally tall. If Stephen A. Smith walked into a local YMCA, he’d be one of the taller guys on the court. But on an NBA sideline? He's a "short" guy. It's all about the environment.
He has also dealt with some health transformations lately. Working with experts like Gary Brecka, he’s leaned out and focused on his physical fitness. When you lose weight and improve your posture, you actually tend to look taller. A leaner Stephen A. appears more "lanky" than he did ten years ago, which might be why some recent 2025 sources are trying to claim he’s 6'2".
Summary of the Stats
If you're looking for the bottom line, here is the breakdown:
- Official Height: 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm)
- Weight: Varies, but usually around 180-190 lbs
- Wingspan: Estimated to be roughly his height (common for non-pro athletes)
- Shoe Size: Rumored to be around a 12
So, next time you see him screaming about the New York Knicks, just remember: he’s not the tiny man the memes make him out to be. He’s a solidly tall guy who just happens to work in a forest of human redwoods.
If you want to verify this yourself, stop looking at the headshots. Look at the full-body photos of him at red carpet events like the ESPYs. When he’s standing next to actors or lifestyle celebrities, his 6'1" frame is undeniable.
To get a true sense of his scale, watch his old college footage or photos from his Winston-Salem State days. You'll see a skinny, tall guard who clearly had the "length" to compete, even if he didn't make it to the league. The reality is that Stephen A. Smith is exactly as tall as he needs to be to dominate a microphone.
Your Next Steps
Now that you know the truth about how tall is Stephen A. Smith, you can look at sports broadcasts with a bit more perspective. If you're interested in how height affects media perception, try comparing him to other hosts like Malika Andrews or Scott Van Pelt. You'll start to notice how camera angles and seating charts are specifically designed to level the playing field between the "short" analysts and the "tall" former players. Next time a debate gets heated on First Take, keep an eye on when they stand up—that's when the real height truth comes out.