Stephen A. Smithis one of the more polarizing sports media personalities in the industry. The ESPN analyst is one who does not mince his words and is never afraid to voice his opinion, no matter the topic.

Smith has made a career of spewing out hot takes and outlandish statements that could sometimes rub basketball fans the wrong way — even to the point of them being controversial. Recently, the 59-year-old gave his reason on why he doesn't believe Luka Doncic and the L.A. Lakers are not winning the NBA championship this season.

Stephen A. Smith Doesn't See The Lakers Winning the 2026-27 NBA Championship

On The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith said he doesn't envision the Lakers lifting the Larry O'Brien trophy next June because their top three players are white.

I've never seen an NBA team with its top three players being white deliver a championship. It's never happened, and I'm here to tell you, I don't think it's gonna happen this year.

As currently constructed, the Lakers are led by a trio of Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler. Doncic is of Serbian-Slovenian descent, while Reaves and Kessler are Caucasian Americans.

Smith has never shied away from using the race card to relay his arguments. In this case, however, his reasoning seems a bit of a stretch. For one, it doesn't have anything to do with basketball.

He did say the Lakers have a chance, considering the trio's talent and the landscape of the Western Conference. Other top contenders, like the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder, are dealing with injuries. The Denver Nuggets are looking vulnerable to begin the season.

Nonetheless, Smith doubled down by going through the history books of past championship teams from every decade — from the 1960s Celtics, to the Lakers of the 70s, to the 80s Celtics, all the way to the modern-day champions.

You can bring up whetever you want, there has never been in my lifetime an NBA team led with its top three players being white that delivered a championship with an abundance of brothers playing basketball.

Smith acknowledged that people may think his statement can spark controversy, but he stood by his claims and doesn't believe they are controversial at all.

Can Luka Dončić Bring Another Championship to Los Angeles?

Regardless of what Stephen A. Smith says, it's up to Doncic, Reaves, Kessler, and the rest of the Lakers to prove him wrong. Los Angeles currently sits atop the Western Conference standings with a 10-2 record and a six-game winning streak.

Doncic, in particular, has been playing out of his mind to begin the post-LeBron James era in Los Angeles. The Slovenian is leading the league in scoring with 39.3 points per game to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists. He is also shooting career-highs across the board — 49.8 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three, and 88.1 percent from the foul line.

As for Reaves, he has provided the Lakers with a secondary scoring punch and playmaker alongside Doncic, while Kessler has done a great job holding down the interior with his inside scoring, rebounding, and rim protection.

Doncic and the Lakers look to continue their winning ways with a rather light schedule. Their next six outings will be against teams with a below .500 record.