Another day, another hot take from Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take. This time, he’s claiming the superstar Caitlin Clark, “instigates resentment.”
This falls in the aftermath of Clark being on the end of some rough treatment by the Connecticut Sun, including being poked in the eye by Jacy Sheldon and then knocked to the floor by Marin Mabrey. Because the officials didn’t get a handle on the situation, teammate Sophie Cunningham served up some retribution in the final minute. This resulted in a skirmish between the two sides and three ejections.
Smith uses an example in college to claim that Clark was the one who started the Angel Reese feud, and Clark often instigates it by talking trash to other teams.
It was a questionable belief, and not wholly true. Needless to say, fans on the social media platform X were vocal with their distaste for it.
Stephen A. Smith Claims Caitlin Clark – ‘Instigates Resentment’ In Controversial Hot Take That Hasn’t Sat Well With Fans
According to Smith on First Take, with regards to the skirmish, he believed: “It’s much ado about nothing. Tempers flare.” In response to the three ejections that were handed out during the Indiana Fever’s win over the Sun.
He also elaborated on Clark receiving resentment for her being the face of the WNBA, which is by far his most accurate take: “Clark being that golden goose per se…I stand by my past proclamations that there’s resentment towards her because of that.”
However, he then took it a step further by surprisingly claiming, “There’s also resentment towards her because she instigates resentment.”
Stephen A. Smith on why players resent Caitlin Clark:
“There’s also resentment towards her because she instigates resentment..The whole Angel Reese thing started..because Caitlin was giving it to everybody else, she was the one waving her in their face”
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) June 18, 2025
Clark is undoubtedly highly competitive and loves the back-and-forth in the heat of competition; she’ll jaw and trash-talk, as much to hype herself up to stay locked in, but it’s a stretch to say she ‘instigates resentment’ for doing things that we see every day in the NBA and Sports in general. By all accounts, she is the ultimate professional on and off the court.
Smith then uses a controversial example, “The whole Angel Reese thing started because Caitlin was giving it to everybody else; she was the one waving her in their face.”
This is in reference to when Clark did the ‘you can’t see me’ hand wave celebration against Louisville, for Iowa. Reese retaliated in the 2023 NCAA title game for LSU when she did that celebration in Clark’s face and pointed at her ring finger for her National title win.
Here’s the issue with that take: many believed she did that towards Hailey Van Lith of Louisville; however, Van Lith confirmed it wasn’t aimed at her at all, but rather at Clark’s strength coach.
This hurts the credibility of the argument that Clark instigated anything back in college. Yes, she was competitive, but the belief that she started the feud with Reese is without foundation.
Fans had a lot to say about Smith’s take, which may be factually incorrect.
On X, @SamCNFTs posted: “Stephen A. should stick to playing solitaire on his phone.” A clear dig at Smith being caught playing solitaire on his phone during the NBA finals.
Stephen A should stick to playing solitaire in his phone, total clown with an even more idiotic take
— Sam (@SamCNFTs) June 18, 2025
As pointed out by fan @ss__hollywood “She did the gesture one time and it was to her coach, not to any player.”
@jones_jerod also pointed out Smith’s factual error: “Why he lie like that though? She did the “You can’t see me” wave once! And it was to one of her coaches. Not to any player.”
Another fan also pointed out how one gesture four years ago does not account for the extreme physical treatment she gets on court: @dutchdalton992 “That is extremely false. They are not trying to take her out because she gave a defensive sign 4 years ago.”
Smith is known for controversial hot takes, some of which are more accurate than others. However, this will likely fall into the category he’d like to have back.
