Stephen A. Smith is on a historically bad run with WNBA takes
Stephen A. Smith say one smart thing about the WNBA challenge: impossible.
Man, the Caitlin Clark discourse has truly gotten out of control.
After Clark was left off the US Women’s Olympic team, the takes flew in from everywhere on both sides of the discourse, but none more prominent than Stephen A. Smith, for better or worse. On Monday, Smith was on First Take discussing Clark not being on Team USA ... and I feel like this could’ve been said better:
Stephen A. Smith to Andraya Carter: "I am telling you right now you are going to be underpaid for the rest of what I believe will be an illustrious career unless you get your mind right about that marketing. It matters."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 10, 2024
Andraya: "I hear you, Stephen A. But I will not sacrifice… pic.twitter.com/AVLkIzCcRP
This is ... this is sure something. While I think I understand what Stephen A is saying, the way that he says it and the context around it look incredibly grimy. Placing marketing directly at odds with someone like Carter’s integrity of knowledge about women’s basketball really, truly sucks and attempts to get people to believe that knowledge about women’s basketball will always come second to marketing.
This isn’t the first time Smith has misstepped when it comes to the WNBA. On June 3, he and fellow ESPN analyst Monica McNutt had a discussion about the WNBA, where things unraveled quickly:
Stephen A. Smith: "Who talks about the WNBA, who talks about women, who talks about women's sports more than First Take?"
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2024
Monica McNutt: "Stephen A., respectfully, with your platform, you could have been doing this three years ago if you wanted to."
Stephen A.: "Wow." pic.twitter.com/szQXOPQ3h4
Smith would then go on his podcast to discuss the interaction, where he only added fuel to the fire.
Stephen A. Smith responds to Monica McNutt on his podcast- pic.twitter.com/UxiyzXEIjl
— SHO’NUFF (@IAMSHO_NUFF) June 4, 2024
The discussions surrounding the WNBA and Clark overall have truly gotten out of control. In attempts for everyone to try and make Clark the savior of the WNBA, the world has both put far too much on her shoulders, while disrespecting the women in the WNBA who have been spearheading the constant growth of the league. There’s plenty more to talk about than just Clark in the W! A’ja Wilson is having a career year! Dearica Hamby is going off in LA now with more chances with the ball. The Connecticut Sun are dominating opponents!
In the media sphere, we have to be better discussing the WNBA, and discussing Clark as well, because belittling the people who have been here since the beginning isn’t the way.