ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith scorched Serena Williams for doing the infamous crip walk during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl.
The host of the sports network’s popular “First Take” talk show took the tennis legend to task for being petty and joined in on the trolling of Lamar’s archnemesis Drake.
Serena Williams surprised
Williams, who is known mononymously as Serena, was shown for about eight seconds during K. Dot’s 15-minute set during the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. Serena dated Drake on and off about a decade ago, and the fact that she partook in the dissing of Drake sent social media spiraling.
After seeing Serena Sunday night, Smith ranted about how the all-time great tennis star, who is married, would waste her time trolling someone who is no longer in her life.
“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass,” Smith, 57, said on the Monday, February 10, episode of First Take. “Cause clearly you don’t belong with me. What you worried about him for and you’re with me? Bye. Bye.”
In “Not Like Us,” Lamar seemingly tells Drake he “better not speak on Serena.” After the tune was released, Williams addressed Lamar and Drake’s feud while hosting the ESPY Awards in July 2024.
“If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that none of us, not a single one of us, not even me, should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar,” Williams quipped at the time, according to ESPN. “He will make your hometown not like you. The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re going to Forrest Gump him. Seats taken.”
Even though disapproved Williams’ performance, she had the approval of her husband, Alexis Ohanian.
“Pretty fantastic halftime show,” Ohanian, 41, wrote via X on Sunday, calling Serena’s dance the “Highlight of the Super Bowl.”
Williams also got the endorsement from her older sister Venus Williams, who said “Lil sis killing it,” Venus, 44, said. She reposted on her Instagram Story on Monday Serena’s video from the performance. Venus also commented on Serena’s Sunday post, “You did that!!! 💙✨.”
Venus also reposted a video of Serena crip walking in 2012 after the latter won the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments in a row, adding, “I just! @serenawilliams.”
Serena couldn’t care less about the criticism of her doing the crip walk on Sunday or from 13 years ago.
“It’s getting so much attention. It just happened. I was so excited that it just came out. I guess I’m good at it!” she told OK magazine.
“That’s the least of my worries,” she added. “I’m so excited I was able to do the dance. I’m glad I did it!”
