Yesterday, ESPN basketball analyst Monica McNutt called out Stephen A. Smith during First Take while debating the WNBA. Monday's First Take included a contentious conversation between Shannon Sharpe, Monica McNutt, and Stephen A. Smith over the hard foul on Caitlin Clark. McNutt criticized Stephen A. in her closing remarks for waiting until this year to bring up the WNBA. Stephen A. Smith was left stunned and clearly outdone by Monica's fair criticism. She responded to Smith saying, , “Stephen A., respectfully, with your platform, you could have been doing this three years ago if you wanted to.”
It came after Stephen A. Smith was taking credit for covering women's sports before anybody else, and McNutt checked him on that fact. Now Stephen A. Smith has responded. Stephen A. Smith is refusing to accept Monica McNutt's remarks. Later yesterday evening, on his podcast, the ESPN personality addressed the jabs the two had exchanged on "First Take" on Monday. Stephen A. Smith went at Monica McNutt's credibility while also simultaneously praising her, kind of like when someone says "no offense" before saying something offensive. Overall, the dig really got to Stephen A., but he is not taking it well.
Stephen A. Smith Responds To Monica McNutt
After going on a long tirade about Clark's influence on the WNBA, Stephen A. Smith addressed the argument with McNutt, claiming that her remarks on the ESPN debate program "absolutely shocked" him. Stephen A. then took responsibility for several ESPN women's careers saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, I am the executive producer of First Take. You ever heard of Monica McNutt? You have now. Because she’s on First Take a lot. Chiney Ogwumike, absolutely wonderful, spectacular basketball analyst. … ask her how it’s been to be on First Take. How about Andraya Carter? Who’s a rising star in this business. How much do you think First Take helped that? What about Kimberley Martin? What about Molly Qerim herself?”
Smith went on to criticize the individuals from whom he had "taken a lot of s–t" before describing what he believed McNutt to have said about him as "factually incorrect" and "highly offensive." He continued, “I challenge anybody to find a show on sports television that discusses women’s issues that discuss the WNBA, or women’s sports that highlights and profiles female analysts more than ‘First Take.’ It’s been going on for years." Smith said that even if McNutt and he disagreed, he would still "support" each other. Overall, it might have been an overreaction from Stephen A. Smith.
Read More: Stephen A Smith Calls Out Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard: "He's The Worst Superstar In Sports"
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