Stephen A. Smith admits he was ‘wrong’ to mock Anthony Davis after he suffered apparent head injury

Stephen A. Smith has apologized for making light of Anthony Davis’ injury on Wednesday night, as the Lakers big man was screened for a possible concussion after suffering a head injury in Game 5 vs. the Warriors.

Davis caught an elbow to the face from Kevon Looney with 7:43 left in the fourth quarter before reportedly exiting the game in a wheelchair and going to the locker room.

And while Davis is apparently doing much better – as TNT’s Chris Haynes said he avoided a concussion  – Smith was incredulous that that outcome could have even been a possibility.

‘Concussion? I thought the NFL season was over? Now, I understand that concussions can happen in other sports… but damn, I ain’t see nothing yesterday that made me say concussion,’ the ESPN personality said on First Take Thursday.

Stephen A. Smith couldn’t believe that Anthony Davis was checked for a concussion after Game 5

Davis reportedly exited the court in a wheelchair after being hit in the face by Kevon Looney

‘We just got to stop it man, we got to stop it. It’s the playoffs man. I mean, was he running over the middle and got hit by Ronnie Lott or something? Did I miss something?’

And while Smith added he hoped the Lakers star was alright, he received criticism for his thoughts, and wound up apologizing on Twitter.

‘Blow back is Blow back,’ he said. 

‘Comes with the territory, peeps. I was in no way minimizing the seriousness of a concussion. I was questioning whether Anthony Davis really had one, considering the play I saw & other hits I’ve seen him absorb. But, bottom line, it was wrong for me to do. Period! My bad.’

Smith was not the only one who found apparent humor in the situation, as Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley appeared to laugh at the idea of Davis in a wheelchair after what looked like a fairly routine bump from Looney.

Shaquille O’Neal was left in hysterics on ‘Inside the NBA’ after the Lakers’ Game 5 loss

And Charles Barkley was unable to contain himself either as they show went off the rails

As their ‘Inside the NBA’ colleague Kenny Smith began to speak, both O’Neal and Barkley couldn’t conceal their laughter, with Smith stopping and saying, ‘These guys, man.’

While O’Neal and Barkley both said they were laughing at one another, rather than Davis, Smith said to host Ernie Johnson, ‘You know what they’re laughing about’ as his two co-workers burst into hysterics. 

Johnson especially did not find their laughing to be funny, but regardless, Davis seems to be doing well as Haynes later reported he’d be available for a pivotal Game 6 barring any setbacks.

The Lakers lead the series 3-2 after losing 121-106 on Wednesday, but would face a Game 7 on the road if they can’t close things out in Game 6 at home.