Stephen A. Smith Acknowledged by Wizards of the Coast After Unusual MTG Crossover

ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith recently stirred the pot with his bold perspective on Magic: The Gathering. His foray into the game has been met with enthusiasm from Wizards of the Coast.

After a brief hiatus from the spotlight, Smith has resurfaced, thanks to his YouTube channel. While he’s primarily recognized for his sports commentary, a recent Q&A segment on his show saw him diving into less familiar realms.

Inquiries from fans, often laced with irony, have prompted him to provide thoughtful choices for Pokémon starters, as well as a surprisingly detailed analysis of a hypothetical matchup between Mewtwo and NBA star LeBron James. More surprisingly, a question from professional Magic player Benjamin Wheeler brought Smith into the world of Magic drafts.

When challenged to select between the illustrious Black Lotus and the Sol Ring as his first draft pick in a Vintage Cube format, Smith took a shot at it. Wizards of the Coast even highlighted this moment on X, extending an invitation to Smith for the “pro tour” due to his unexpectedly astute choice.

Welcome to the Pro Tour, Stephen https://t.co/zMKefzDHDf

— Magic: The Gathering (@wizards_magic) October 15, 2024

With minimal knowledge of Magic: The Gathering, Smith resorted to his usual decision-making approach when faced with these two iconic cards. He opted for Sol Ring based on its artwork, which turned out to be a wise selection.

While Black Lotus is undoubtedly one of the priciest cards in MTG—pristine copies fetching up to $3 million—Smith might have sidestepped a costly misstep for a more strategic tabletop option.

Although Black Lotus is exceptionally rare and generates more mana than Sol Ring, its single-use nature could be seen as a limitation depending on the color combination in play. For slower decks, Sol Ring’s capability to produce two mana of any color once per turn offers invaluable utility that is often overlooked in a limited setting.

Although Smith may not have comprehended the fine print, picking the card with the most appealing art can sometimes be a safer bet in trading card games. Jon Finkel, a renowned Magic professional, applauded Smith’s decision, stating, “Regardless of his approach, he made the right call,” as he shared on X here.

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