Stephen A. Smith suggested support for a government investigation into the WNBA over its treatment of Caitlin Clark.
Smith reacted to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece after it argued that Clark is playing in a hostile workplace as a result of how referees have called plays against her.
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Smith suggested Trump could investigate Caitlin Clark’s treatment by the WNBACredit: talksport
The piece in the Journal claimed that officials have consistently not called physical plays against her, dating back to her rookie season in 2024.
Stunningly, it went as far as to call for a federal probe into “potential civil rights violations.”
On his podcast, Smith seemingly supported the idea of an investigation, claiming the government would have a case for it.
“I’m not here saying the case will be won by the government if it gets to the points. I’m saying they have a case, they have an argument,” Smith said of the idea during an episode of his show on Tuesday.
The veteran broadcaster also added that Clark’s treatment could eventually become a national issue.
“Do we doubt that at his discretion, at his disposal, if he finds this to be an issue that is politically expedient to him, that Trump won’t use this to feed his base?” Smith said.
“If [Clark] is seen to be physically getting abused on the basketball court in a way that is such a clear and flagrant discrepancy compared to what happens to others, that that man is not going to say something?
“You don’t think Catilin Clark could become an issue of national, potentially international, and definitely federal proportions?”
In his reasoning for why an investigation could happen, Smith cited federal settlements with Columbia University over alleged civil rights violations.
“If the Trump administration can settle with Columbia for a $221 million settlement over what’s taken place on a campus, you think you can definitively rule out what kind of noise could be made if the WNBA continues to allow this treatment of Caitlin Clark?” Smith said.
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The Wall Street Journal claimed the government should look into Clark’s treatmentCredit: GETTY
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Clark herself hasn’t called for any broader investigationCredit: Getty
Smith also warned the WNBA to get a grip on the situation around Clark and implement a tool that the NBA uses.
“WNBA you’ve been forewarned. You gotta address this,” Smith bluntly stated.
“Last two-minutes reports from the referees,” which is a public document released by the league that analyzes the officiating decisions made in the final two minutes of games used by the NBA.
“Institute that immediately,” Smith added with a sense of urgency.
Caitlin Clark scuffle with Jacy Sheldon
Arguably, the most viral example of Clark being on the end of some harsh treatment from her fellow WNBA players came in that game against the Connecticut Sun in June.
Clark had a run-in with the Sun’s Jacy Sheldon, who in the third quarter appeared to poke the Fever guard in the eye.
WATCH Sophie Cunningham’s epic rant about Caitlin Clark being face of WNBA
As the two faced off, Marina Mabrey bumped the Fever star to the floor.
It then led to Clark’s teammate Sophie Cunningham committing a hard foul after essentially shoving Sheldon to the hardwood, which led to a brawl.
Cunningham was ejected, with her behaviour later going viral and being hailed by Fever fans for defending Clark.
Although Cunningham herself went viral for defending Clark, and it led to her social media following surging from just 200,000 on TikTok to 1.6 million.
Clark’s treatment by officials is not an exclusive one, though.
WNBA players across the league often feel they are on the end of bad refereeing.
Angel Reese slammed WNBA referees after the Chicago Sky’s 80-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on July 6.
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Clark has not shied away from confronting officialsCredit: GETTY
“[It] has to be fixed,” Reese told reporters.
“I don’t give a damn if I get fined because that s*** is cheap and I’m tired of this s***.”
Natasha Cloud of the New York Liberty pointed to a strained relationship between players and referees.
“I work my f******* ass off all offseason for these 4 ½ months to try to win a championship,” Cloud told reporters.
“And if I feel like [refs are] having too much f****** impact on the game, it shouldn’t be. … This is collaborative to make this thing go.”