Stephen A. Smith is facing criticism again for saying that basketball star Caitlin Clark should have been included on the USA Women’s Basketball National Team for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Most experts believe Clark, a rookie in the WNBA, isn’t ready for the team. However, Smith argues she should have been chosen because she brings in a lot of money and high TV ratings.
Since Clark, a famous college player from the Iowa Hawkeyes, was drafted first by the Indiana Fever in April 2024, game attendance and TV ratings have reached record highs.
Peter Rosenberg, a well-known radio DJ for Hot 97 and TV host, criticized Smith for making it seem like Clark was unfairly left off the team.
“I’m not letting it go,” Smith stated on his podcast about Rosenberg. “I don’t appreciate what he said. Actually, I think what he said was utter bull—-.”
Rosenberg insulted Smith “because he’s jumping in on this train of the ‘Caitlin Clark’s not being treated fairly by the world.’” Rosenberg said Smith’s stance is unfair to both Clark and the league at large.
“This whole idea that if Caitlin Clark isn’t propped up the right way then it’s not right for the sport, if that’s your take maybe you don’t really care about the sport and shouldn’t be giving an opinion about it,” Rosenberg said, aiming his ire at Smith, the host of ESPN’s “First Take.”
Smith yelled on his eponymous show that Rosenberg “misrepresented his thoughts” and failed to call him to discuss the disconnect before taking his thoughts to the “public airwaves.”
“Let me reiterate my point for the challenged,” Smith restated. “And by that I don’t mean somebody who’s cerebrally challenged or intellectually challenged. I think morally challenged, simply because it’s not in their heart and in their mind to have this need to be fair. Ladies and gentlemen, I said what I said about Caitlin Clark, and I’m not backing up one bit. There is not a single player on Team USA — not a single player — that deserves to be taken off because of her. Not a single player.”
“Why the hell would this guy go out there and say to America, ‘Yo, Stephen A. is propping Caitlin Clark up as a victim?'” Smith continued. “What, you the White boy that’s gravitating to Black folks, and you wanna make folks believe, ‘Hey, you know something, this is the latest thing he’s doing against y’all?’ Is that what this is? You sitting there, and you on a station; they’re playing hip-hop music, that makes you down now? You think you know us better than me? Is that what this is, Peter? Peter.”
While Smith said he respects Rosenberg, he doesn’t appreciate the way the radio host characterized Smith regarding Clark.
“You’re not stupid, Peter,” he said. “You know better. In this instance, you’re just full of s—”
