Known for his candid approach as a sports commentator, Stephen A. Smith keeps details about his daughters, Samantha and Nyla, largely to himself. It wasn’t until 2019 that he publicly acknowledged his role as a father, revealing that his children were already 11 and 10 at the time.
In a conversation with GQ, he credited his daughters with helping him discover a renewed sense of purpose following the loss of his mother, Janet Smith, stating, “It’s a blessing, but that love is also a curse because you’re never at peace.”
Despite his passionate support for the New York Knicks, Smith insists that his daughters are free to choose their own teams. He humorously noted that they must ask his permission to watch his show, First Take, as he sometimes has strong opinions that might not be appropriate for them to hear.
During a 2023 appearance on The Breakfast Club while promoting his memoir, Straight Shooter, Smith highlighted the profound impact of fatherhood on his character. He expressed that his daughters have made him a better person.
Samantha is actively pursuing acting, recently starring in The Best Man: The Final Chapters, while Nyla shares a close bond with her sister, often teaming up to charm their dad.