CBS and TNT Sports had no choice but to replace Kenny Smith for this Friday's coverage of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Smith, a two-time NBA champion, was part of Thursday's studio crew with Charles Barkley, Nate Burleson and Clark Kellogg. However, he went home following the Howard-Michigan game on Thursday night. It was reported that he was feeling under the weather.
CBS kicked off this Friday's coverage of March Madness without Smith. He's been replaced by former WNBA star Renee Montgomery. Even though Smith is feeling ill right now, that didn't stop Barkley from poking fun at his longtime colleague.
Barkley cracked this joke at the start of Friday's pregame show: "Keep your shirt on at the beach, Kenny."
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Fans aren't buying Kenny Smith's absence.
There are plenty of college basketball fans who believe Smith is ducking the spotlight right now because his alma mater, North Carolina, blew a 19-point loss to VCU on Thursday night.
"Pretty funny that everyone on Planet Earth knows the exact reason Kenny isn't there lol," a Duke fan wrote on social media.
"UNC losing hurt Kenny this much? Come on my guy," a fan commented.
"That’s funny. Kenny seemed fine when Siena was winning. What a pro," another fan said.
"Kenny needs to get well from that UNC loss immediately," a social media user wrote.
The thought of Smith skipping work because North Carolina was eliminated from the tournament might sound fascinating, but there's zero evidence that would back up that claim.
Besides, Smith knows he'll get trolled by Barkley the moment they reunite on set. There's nothing he can do to avoid it.
