Teyana Taylor did not walk away from her divorce from former NBA player Iman Shumpert with $25 million in cash and an additional $10 million in real estate and other property.
Stephen A. Smith has now admitted that the financial details he previously reported were wrong. On his podcast, the sports commentator also withdrew his claim that Shumpert was left with only $2 million after the couple split.
Smith originally made the remarks during an episode of Culture Table, one of the shows produced by his Straight Shooter Media company.
“In the interest of fairness, accuracy, and decency, I believe it’s important to address what happened in connection with an October episode of the Culture Table titled, ‘Can men trust women with their finances?’” Smith said.
“During that episode, I stated that Teyana Taylor walked away from her divorce with $25 million, $10 million in properties, luxury cars, and other assets, while Iman Shumpert, her ex-husband, was left with approximately $2 million and nowhere to live,” he continued. “Those statements were inaccurate, and I want to sincerely apologize to both Iman Shumpert and Teyana Taylor.”
Smith said he was responsible for repeating information that had not been properly verified and acknowledged that he should have handled the report differently.
Stephen A. Smith apologized to Iman Shumpert and Teyana Taylor after sharing incorrect details about their divorce.
Teyana Taylor appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, while Iman Shumpert has moved into NBA analysis following his playing career.
“The information, just to be clear, was based on quotes and claims that are heavily circulating in media reports and on social media that were attributed to Iman Shumpert,” Smith explained. “The quotes attributed to him, however, were not his statements at all, and the financial figures presented were inaccurate.”
Smith said he was later corrected directly by Taylor, the Golden Globe-winning actress who co-starred in Anderson’s One Battle After Another.
“I personally spoke to Teyana Taylor, who verified herself that the information circulating out there is patently false,” he said, adding, “We didn’t meet the standard here.”
He also used the moment to caution audiences about treating viral claims as confirmed information. “What circulates online is not necessarily true, as we all know,” Smith said. “And a claim does not become a fact simply because it has been repeated or attributed to a public figure.”
“I personally take pride in delivering product in the highest quality, and that includes understanding that reports or statements made multiple times do not make them true,” he continued. “To Iman and Teyana, my sincere apologies. I respect the hell out of both of you.”
Smith also praised Shumpert’s achievements during his NBA career and his subsequent work as a basketball analyst, while highlighting Taylor’s growing profile in Hollywood.
Taylor and Shumpert married in 2016 and finalized their divorce in 2024. They share two daughters.
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Shumpert played 11 seasons in the NBA, suiting up for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and Brooklyn Nets before leaving the league in 2021. He was part of the Cavaliers squad that captured the franchise’s first NBA championship in 2016.
Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert attended the 28th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in 2020.
The statement marked Smith’s second apology of the week, following his attempt to clarify earlier comments about recently retired Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson.
The 36-year-old two-time Super Bowl champion announced his retirement from the NFL unexpectedly this week after Philadelphia’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday. In his statement, the 14-year veteran said he had hoped to “gut it out for one more year,” but recognized that his “personal and family priorities” had shifted and that he needed to focus on his mental health.
But while Johnson admitted that retiring was an ‘incredibly difficult decision’ for him personally, Smith chalked up the move to the 2-2 Eagles’ recent struggles.
‘A running game that was virtually non-impressive at the very least to begin with,’ the boisterous Smith bellowed during Wednesday’s episode of First Take. ‘And now [running back] Saquon Barkley got a hamstring injury. A passing game that wasn’t that great to begin with. You lost [wide receiver] AJ Brown [to the New England Patriots], DeVonta Smith, now he gets [a hamstring injury]. Nine starters you finished the game without.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has been accused of making light of the mental health concerns of retiring Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, who left the NFL earlier this week
Lane Johnson has been one of the NFL’s premiere right tackles over the last 14 years
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‘Now [Johnson] sat up there, one of the all-time greats on the offensive line, and what he do?’ Smith asked before dropping into a monotone. ‘He went like this: ‘You know what, I’m gonna call it quits.’
‘Now he calls it quits, not before the season, not in the offseason,’ Smith continued. ‘After being subjected to this, he said life is a little bit too short. I need to focus… what did he say? His mental health? Am I making that up? Four games into the 2026 season, a dude that has been in the league forever, sits back and says I need to focus on my mental health.’
Smith has since apologized for the commentary.
‘My intent was joking about the Eagles,’ he said. ‘Bottom line is this: It doesn’t matter what my intent was; it’s how it’s perceived. I messed up,’ Smith said at the start of Thursday’s show.
‘Here’s the reality of the situation: I was wrong. And when you’re an adult and you’re a man, you have to admit that you were wrong. I was wrong to Lane Johnson. I was wrong to the Philadelphia Eagles. I messed up because I made light of the issue of mental health.’
