Solitaire on the Sidelines: The Multitasking Stephen A. Smith

During Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, something strange—and surprisingly teachable—happened.

It wasn’t just the Thunder’s clutch 12–1 run in the final minutes to steal the win and even the series. It was what was happening courtside: ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, a man paid to analyze the game, was caught on camera playing Solitaire on his phone during live action.

Not during a timeout. Not during halftime. During the game.

Naturally, social media exploded. Kevin Durant reposted the clip on Instagram with a blunt “C’MON STEVE.” Stephen A. Smith tried to defend himself, claiming he was multitasking during breaks—but community notes and fan-captured footage strongly suggest otherwise.

But this isn’t just about a distracted TV analyst. It’s a case study—one that applies perfectly to bar exam takers and law students.

Showing Up Isn’t the Same as Locking In

Stephen A. Smith was physically present at one of the biggest basketball games of the year. But mentally? He was on another screen, in another world, lining up red queens on black kings.

That’s the same mistake many students make during bar prep. You “watch” a lecture while scrolling Instagram. You “review” outlines with a YouTube video playing in the background. You tell yourself you’re multitasking.

But here’s the truth: you’re not studying. You’re solitaire courtside.

The bar exam doesn’t care how many videos you streamed. It doesn’t reward you for having lecture videos playing. It rewards what you understand, what you retain, and what you can apply under pressure.

Just like NBA commentary, bar exam success requires attention to detail, critical thinking, and real-time analysis. None of that happens when your brain is divided.

The Myth of Multitasking

Stephen A. Smith claimed he could multitask. Maybe. But even if he could toggle between a card game and commentary, should he?

Bar prep students often say the same thing:

💬 “I study better with background noise.”

💬 “I retain info while cooking, texting, and reviewing flashcards.”

💬 “I need breaks—I’ll just study with Netflix on in the background.”

But here’s what you need to understand: Multitasking is a myth. What we call multitasking is actually rapid task-switching, and it's wildly inefficient. Your brain can't focus deeply on more than one cognitively demanding task at a time.

When you try to do multiple things at once—watching a lecture, checking your phone, and responding to group chats—you’re really doing each of those things poorly. You don't learn the material well. You don't retain it. You can't apply it.

In fact, studies have shown that multitasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40%. You may feel busy, but you're not being effective.

Bar prep isn’t about how much you’re "around" your materials. It’s about what you do with them. Half-studying across three apps is like being on the court and looking at the scoreboard, your phone, and the snack table all at once.

Stephen A. Smith likely missed key moments while trying to "do it all." Don’t make that same mistake with your study sessions.

When it’s time to study, treat it like it matters.

• Put your phone in another room

• Use app blockers or Focus Mode

• Give yourself 50 minutes of deep, uninterrupted work each hour (or 25 minutes every half hour)

• Review actively—not passively

Because here’s the thing: No one’s grading your vibes. The bar exam only cares what you can prove in a limited time window under stress.

Just like Stephen A. Smith missing a key moment on the court, you risk missing a key rule, exception, or testable nuance when you're not fully engaged.