Stephen A. Smith says he's strongly considering presidential run, has been approached by politicians

Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith declared that he is considering running for office in the next few years if he believes he can win.

Smith has risen to fame as a bombastic commentator in the realms of sports and politics. Previously, he denied he would ever run for president, saying recent chatter about doing so only took off due to Democrats’ desperation for a leader. However, the ESPN host spoke at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas on Monday, where he stated that recent events have changed his mind.

He posted a link to a story on his comments on X and said, "Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I’m officially leaving all doors open."

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Stephen A. Smith looks on during the 2024 NBA Draft - Round One on June 26, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images)

"Over the last few weeks, I’ve had no choice but to get more serious about it," he said at the NAB event. "I’ve been approached by people on Capitol Hill. I’ve been approached by people who are elected officials in office, whether it’s governors or mayors or what have you. People have legitimately, seriously, asked me about it."

He went on to repeat that while he does not want to become a politician, he will run for office if he thinks he has a viable path to victory.

"I have no desire to be a politician. My life is [going] pretty well, but I’ve decided that I’m no longer going to close that door," he said. "I’m gonna keep my options open. I’m going to entertain the possibility." 

Speaking of the future, Smith suggested, "If it comes in late 2026, 2027, where I look at this country and think it’s an absolute mess and there’s legitimate reason to believe - whether it’s via exploratory committees or anything else - that I indeed have a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States. I am not going to rule it out, and I'm not playing." 

According to Forbes, he also reportedly derided politicians, saying, "I personally perceive politicians being professional beggars. You always have your hand out and people need something in return."

But even so, he said that as more and more people have urged him to become one "over the last few weeks, I had to get a little more serious about it."

Smith noted he would need to "hunker down for a couple of months" to study the various issues, but said he would look forward to debates.

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Stephen A. Smith looks on during the game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks during Game Four of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 14, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Jim Cowsert/NBAE via Getty Images)

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"Imagine me on a debate stage with these people, these politicians," Forbes quoted Smith as saying. This is what I do for a living. I am not a politician. I don’t have a political record for them to lean on. I can challenge what you literally say [as politicians]. They would all know more than me at this particular time, but they have a record to address."

"They better hope I’m not interested, I’ll tell you that much," he added. "I don’t like any of [the prospective 2028 candidates] right now."