Stephen A. Smith responded to Peter Rosenberg’s criticism of his comments about Caitlin Clark, calling Rosenberg’s words “utter bullshit”. Smith felt Rosenberg misrepresented his views, claiming he was advocating for Clark to be on the Olympic team solely because she’s a woman. 

Smith played a clip of Rosenberg’s comments, which he felt unfairly characterized his position. He denied Rosenberg’s suggestion that he was trying to portray Caitlin Clark as a victim and instead emphasized her potential to increase the team’s box office draw and endorsement opportunities.

I’m not letting it go. I don’t appreciate what he said. Actually, I think what he said was utter bullshit. Let me reiterate my point for the challenged… 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.

Stephen A. Smith said on his show

Stephen A. Smith expressed frustration that Rosenberg didn’t reach out to him directly before publicly criticizing his views. He saw this as part of a larger trend of people misrepresenting his opinions and not giving him the opportunity to clarify.

Smith concluded by reiterating his respect for Rosenberg’s intelligence and talent but maintained that his comments in this instance were “full of shit”. As a rookie, Caitlin Clark averaged 16.3 points, 6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game.

Stephen A. Smith denies accusations of fueling team division narratives

Bob Myers, a former Golden State Warriors GM and current ESPN NBA analyst, suggested that Stephen A. Smith’s commentary contributes to team division narratives, potentially harming locker room unity. Smith promptly denied the accusation, attributing the issue to social media rather than his own analysis.

Not me. Not me. That's social media, not me.

Stephen A. Smith on NBA Countdown

"We tear teams apart more than we ever have, maybe on purpose, maybe that guy down there (pointing at Stephen A. Smith)." – Bob Myers

"Not me. Not me. That's social media, not me." – SAS 😬 pic.twitter.com/rb1XTouQDJ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 9, 2024

The debate over the Celtics’ best player, Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, has been a recurring media theme, with Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s remark fueling the discussion. Myers warned that such speculation can divide locker rooms, while Smith distinguished his role as an analyst from the broader influence of social media.

The incident marks the second time in a week that an ESPN colleague has called out Smith on-air. Thus highlighting the scrutiny he faces as a prominent media figure. 

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