The Athletic’s Amick: Stephen A. Smith gave Mat Ishbia piece of advice on Suns ownership

When it comes to how Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia would approach ownership following his first two years as an NBA owner, The Athletic’s Sam Amick said Ishbia got a piece of advice from an unlikely source: ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

Amick said Smith encouraged Ishbia in a private discussion to give his personal stamp on the organization, an ironic gesture given Ishbia and Smith’s past comments about each other.

The irony of it all? The media personality who once ridiculed Ishbia from his massive platform, and who would publicly apologize days later for the hyperbolic nature of his statement, also empowered him to put his personal stamp on the Suns more than ever before.

“He was like, ‘If you’re going to be who you are, be who you are,’” Ishbia said of his private discussions with Smith. “So now I’m leaning into, ‘I’m unapologetically Mat Ishbia.’ I’m going to be who I am, and do what I believe in.”

The advice comes after Smith said on ESPN’s First Take Ishbia was on “the verge of being recognized as the worst owner in the history of basketball” following the Suns finishing a disappointing 36-46 in 2025 and missing the playoffs. He mentioned Ishbia in the same conversation as New York Knicks owner James Dolan and former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, the latter of whom was banned from the NBA for life in 2014 over racist comments.

Ishbia responded to Smith’s comments, calling them disrespectful, while expecting an apology from him for putting his name in the same conversation as Sterling.

Smith later apologized for putting Ishbia in the same conversation as Sterling. However, Smith went back at Ishbia, saying his first two seasons as Suns owner were an “atrocity.”

Amick on Suns’ turnaround under Ishbia

Under Ishbia, the Suns enter the 2025-26 All-Star break with a 32-23 record, good enough for seventh in the Western Conference.

The Suns’ success is surprising given how much turnaround Phoenix experienced in the offseason, including trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for a package including Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, and hiring Jordan Ott as Phoenix’s new head coach and promoting Brian Gregory as its new general manager.

Amick said that the Suns’ success has given the organization a much brighter future.

After hiring a first-time head coach in Jordan Ott who has proved to be quite capable, then recharging their roster by trading Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, the No. 10 pick and five second-round picks, there is organizational hope again for this group that was widely seen as stuck around this time a year ago. Add in the fact that (Devin) Booker recommitted by way of a two-year, $145 million extension in July, and the Suns are suddenly, and surprisingly, looking ahead to brighter days again.

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