Some vitriol toward Caitlin Clark is 'self-induced,' ESPN's Stephen A Smith says

ESPN star Stephen A. Smith suggested on Wednesday that Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was responsible for some of the resentment toward her in the WNBA.

Smith and “First Take” panelists Monica McNutt and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo broke down the skirmishes between Fever and Connecticut Sun players. Clark was on the receiving end of an eye poke from Sun guard Jacy Sheldon and was then bumped to the floor by Marina Mabrey.

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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, celebrates after scoring a 3-pointer during a game between the Indiana Fever and the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 14, 2025. (Grace Smith-Imagn Images)

Clark and Sun players were talking trash throughout the game as tensions began to rise early and eventually boil over. Fever guard Sophie Cunningham also got into the fray with a hard foul on Sheldon late in the game. Both players were ejected.

Smith reiterated his stance that he believed there was “resentment” toward Clark but said he had no problem with the frenzy that took place at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, noting the highly competitive nature of all the athletes on the court.

“Now, here’s the thing about, because I want to make sure everyone understands what I’m about to say,” Smith began. “Caitlin Clark being that ‘golden goose’ per se, that ‘rising tide that’s lifting all boats,’ I stand by my past proclamations that there’s resentment toward her because of that. But I want to take it a step further. There’s also resentment toward her because she instigates resentment toward her sometimes. Oh, Caitlin can clap at ya now, Caitlin can antagonize ya now.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, dribbles the ball while Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon, #4, defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 17, 2025. (Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, looks on during the second half against the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 17, 2025. (Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)

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“Remember, in college, the whole Angel Reese thing started because when Caitlin was giving it to everybody else, she was the one waving in their face and that’s why when Angel Reese and LSU got a whole of her, Angel Reese was like (waves hand in front of face), ‘Yeah, it’s your turn.’ That’s where it came from. It was instigated by Caitlin Clark. She got a comeuppance and she was big enough to embrace it and accept it and say, ‘Yo, I deserve it, it was my turn because they got me good.”

Smith pointed out that Clark does her fair share of trash talking and can dish it out as well as anyone.

He then compared her to Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird.

“On top of the fact that she could play … but she’s kinda like what Larry Bird was when Larry Bird was shooting the lights out and stuff like that but Larry Bird also talked junk,” he said. “Dr. J was one of the nicest, sweetest people on the planet. People were saying he was making house calls, helping invite the NBA into America’s living room, and Dr. J swung on Larry Bird. Why? Because Larry Bird says, ‘I’m gonna hit this jumper right here on you,’ Bam! ‘I’m gonna hit this 3 right here on you,’ Bam! … Caitlin Clark is that person as well. The vitriol that she gets, some of it is self-induced, I just happen to love it because that’s sports.”

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, celebrates after a three-point basket against the Connecticut Sun in the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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The WNBA gave an additional fine to Cunningham for her involvement in the fracas after the Sheldon foul. She received a standard fine automatically for the Flagrant-2 foul. Mabrey’s technical foul was upgraded to a Flagrant-2 foul, and she received a standard fine for that. 

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