STEPHEN A. SMITH has taken aim at Kenny Smith ahead of the free throw showdown on Inside the NBA this weekend.

ESPN host Smith is facing off with a member of the TNT crew in a best-of-five free throw contest in Las Vegas.

GettyStephen A. Smith has taken aim at TNT star Kenny Smith ahead of their free throw showdown this weekend[/caption]

GettyHe blasted Smith for saying he would train Shaquille O’Neal to shoot better free throws than him[/caption]

Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley both opted out of the contest, leaving Kenny as the lone warrior to face the music.

The former Houston Rockets star had declared he would shoot with his left hand in order to make the contest fair.

However, comments made by 59-year-old about him training Shaq to shoot better than him did not rest well.

Smith had said: “I’m a coach… I would get Shaq to shoot better free throws than [Smith].”

But Stephen A. has not taken the barb lying down.

Taking to social media, he said: “You know, I’ve been thinking about something regarding my man @TheJetOnTNT — swearing he’s going to train @SHAQ to outshoot me on FT’s.

“WTH happened to ‘Queens In The Building?’ Where is your loyalty, Bro?”

The analyst added he would have a talk with Kenny about it when he sees him on Saturday.

Both TV personalities grew up in Queens, New York, hence the “Queens in the building” reference.

He added: “We’re gonna have a talk about that, too, when I see you on @NBAonTNT this Saturday. #TheBlasphemy.”

Of the Inside the NBA crew, Shaq and Barkley were not well known for their proficiency at the free throw line.

The former Lakers centre averaged 52.7 per cent over his career, while the former 76ers forward put up 73.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, Kenny averaged a far more impressive 82.9 per cent.

However, it is not clear how good Stephen A. is at free throws.

Regardless of how it turns out, the weekend showing is almost certainly going to be entertaining.

And this crossover show could be an indicator of how Stephen A and Inside the NBA mingle going forward following the huge deal that has seen ESPN poach the iconic TNT program for next season.

This being said, ESPN president Burke Magnus played down the idea, saying the network has no intention of changing the show by putting new talent into it.

As quoted: “And that’s because, frankly, the construct of the deal really doesn’t — that’s not how it was conceived.”

https://www.the-sun.com/sport/13087227/stephen-a-smith-message-kenny-smith-free-throw-contest/