Let's be real: nobody does "outraged" quite like Stephen A. Smith. When he leans into the microphone on First Take, you know a storm is coming. But lately, his loudest rants haven't been about LeBron's legacy or the Cowboys' latest choke job. They’ve been about a 22-year-old from Iowa.
Stephen A. Smith on Caitlin Clark has become its own sub-genre of sports media.
It started as a basketball conversation. Then it became a business lecture. Now? It’s basically a sociopolitical lightning rod. If you've watched even ten minutes of ESPN over the last year, you’ve seen the pattern. Stephen A. screams about the "Golden Goose," Monica McNutt or Chiney Ogwumike counters with "context," and the internet explodes.
But if you actually peel back the shouting, Stephen A.’s stance on Clark is surprisingly consistent, even if it makes people uncomfortable.
The "Golden Goose" and the Jealousy Narrative
Stephen A. doesn't mince words. He thinks the WNBA veterans are jealous. Period.
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He’s spent months arguing that while Clark is the "rising tide that lifts all boats," the other boats seem remarkably intent on poking holes in her hull. When Chennedy Carter gave Clark that infamous shoulder shuck back in June 2024, Stephen A. didn't just call it a hard foul. He called it an "attack" fueled by resentment.
"There are young ladies in the WNBA who are jealous of Caitlin Clark," he famously barked. He pointed out the obvious: she’s white, she’s "pretty" by marketing standards, and she’s arrived with a mountain of hype before winning a single pro game. To Stephen A., the resentment is human nature.
He basically argues that these veterans have been "pounding the pavement" for twenty years in near-obscurity. Then Clark shows up, and suddenly everyone has a private jet and a sold-out arena.
Is he right? It’s complicated.
Critics say he's ignoring the physical nature of the league. They argue that rookies always get tested. But Stephen A. isn't interested in "the way things have always been." He’s interested in the money. To him, every time a vet takes a cheap shot at Clark, they are actively sabotaging their own paychecks.
The Olympic Snub: "The Idiocy of Team USA"
If you want to see Stephen A. truly lose his mind, bring up the 2024 Olympic roster.
He called the decision to leave Caitlin Clark off the Paris squad "stupid." He didn't even care about the basketball merits. Honestly, he admitted she might not have been one of the top 12 players at that exact moment.
That wasn't the point.
"This is about marketing," he screamed. He looked directly into the camera and told the committee they were "idiotic" for passing on the most popular player in the world. His logic was simple: Team USA was going to win gold anyway. They always do. So why not bring the one person who would actually make people watch the blowout wins?
He argued that the WNBA and USA Basketball failed to understand the "box office" power Clark holds. In his eyes, the "purists" were protecting the "sanctity of the roster" at the expense of globalizing the brand. It was a classic Stephen A. take—business over everything.
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The Shift: Is Clark Now the "Instigator"?
Interestingly, Stephen A.’s tone shifted slightly as the 2025 season progressed.
After a physical scuffle between Clark and the Connecticut Sun, he actually pushed back on the idea that she’s a helpless victim. He noted that Clark "instigates resentment" sometimes because of her own trash-talking.
"She was the one waving her face in everybody else's," he said, referencing her college days.
This is the nuance people miss. He still defends her, but he’s starting to acknowledge that she’s a "dog" on the court. She isn't just a shooter; she's a psychological combatant. He loves that about her, but he’s also warning fans that if you talk that talk, you’ve got to be ready for someone to shut you up.
Why This Debate Never Ends
The reason Stephen A. Smith on Caitlin Clark remains the top headline is that it touches on everything we’re afraid to talk about in sports:
- Race: Stephen A. has been blunt about the "white girl" narrative and how it plays into her popularity and the backlash.
- Economics: He views Clark as a CEO and the other players as employees who don't realize she’s the one funding their raises.
- Media Ethics: The constant tension between analysts like Monica McNutt—who want to talk about the game—and Stephen A., who wants to talk about the spectacle.
The Verdict: Protecting the Asset
At the end of the day, Stephen A. Smith sees Caitlin Clark as an asset that needs protection. Not because she’s fragile, but because she’s valuable.
He has called on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to resign multiple times, most recently after her "weak" response to the internal league tensions. He believes the leadership is failing to capitalize on a once-in-a-century opportunity.
Whether you love him or hate him, you can't argue with the numbers. Clark’s games break records. Her jerseys sell out. And as long as she’s the "Golden Goose," Stephen A. will be there with a megaphone, making sure everyone knows who’s laying the eggs.
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Actionable Insights for Following the Discourse:
- Watch the "First Take" full clips, not just the X snippets. Context often gets lost in the 15-second "rage" clips.
- Check the WNBA ratings and attendance data. It helps you see if Stephen A.’s "business" arguments actually hold water (they usually do).
- Follow the veterans' responses. Players like A'ja Wilson and Angel Reese offer the "other side" of the story that Stephen A. sometimes glosses over.
- Focus on the play. Amidst all the shouting, Clark is still a generational passer. Don't let the "discourse" distract you from the actual basketball.
The WNBA is in a period of massive growing pains. Stephen A. Smith is just the guy holding the megaphone while the house gets remodeled. It's loud, it's messy, and it’s definitely not going anywhere.