ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith dumped a load of trash talk on WNBA great Sheryl Swoopes after the former MVP turned commentator failed to mention rookie Caitlin Clark as a reason the India Fever could have a good second half of the WNBA season.
During a video posted to X, Smith noted that in a recent podcast, Swoopes singled out three Indiana players, but not Clark.
“I’m going shout out to Lexie Hull. I’m a big Lexie Hull fan. Lexie Hull shot the leather off the ball in their game against Seattle. Kelsey Mitchell is just stroking; she’s just shooting the basketball. Aliyah Boston, almost a triple-double. … If Indiana continues to play the way they’re playing, like this, they too are going to move up in the standings,” he quoted Swoopes as saying.
“So no, no, no Caitlin Clark?” Smith said.
“Respectfully, Sheryl Swoopes, do you have any idea how that makes you look? Do you have any idea how that serves to stain any kind of critique of Caitlin Clark because it gives fodder to those who believe she’s being hated on and ostracized to some degree,” he said.
Stephen A. Smith CALLS OUT Sheryl Swoopes as well as other media on their reporting of Caitlin Clark. #wnba #FeverRising #caitlinclark pic.twitter.com/Cyb0SotXvv
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) August 23, 2024
“Do you realize that, Sheryl Swoopes, you’re insane to do that? Let me tell you why you’re insane to do that. Because, Sheryl Swoopes, you’re one of the greatest players ever in the history of basketball, that’s why,” he said.
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“You know basketball,” Smith shouted. “You know basketball better than me. You know basketball better than any of the pundits. You know basketball better than most of the men that play basketball. There is no way in hell you just accidentally left Caitlin Clark’s name out of that soliloquy that you dropped about the Indiana Fever — stop it. You know that — stop it,” he said.
Another elite pass by Caitlin Clark! #FeverRising #WNBApic.twitter.com/SEiEe7xkPW
— Sha Hartley (@shahartley) August 25, 2024
Smith noted that he believed Clark on the Olympic team would have increased its fan following.
“How was the attendance for Team USA in the Olympics? What would it have been like if Caitlin Clark was playing on that team?” he said, adding, “Go ahead and look, everywhere you turn, Indiana Fever’s breaking records.”
Smith said he respects Swoopes as a person, but the omission of Clark was flat-out wrong.
“I’m only addressing a point. How do you talk about the Indiana Fever and mention a multitude of players, and not one of them is Caitlin Clark, who, by the way, as a rookie, is leading the league in assists? How do you do that? How do you do that?” he said.
Swopes fired back in a post on X.
You talk about whomever and whatever you want to on your podcast. Correct? So why can’t I? Also, did you listen to the ENTIRE episode? NOPE! I have a personal relationship with these players and they deserve recognition as well. https://t.co/bRmORD7JaY
— Sheryl Swoopes (@airswoopes22) August 23, 2024
“You talk about whomever and whatever you want to on your podcast. Correct? So why can’t I? Also, did you listen to the ENTIRE episode? NOPE! I have a personal relationship with these players and they deserve recognition as well,” she posted.
