STEPHEN A. Smith criticized Monica McNutt’s comments about her WNBA coverage.
ESPN personalities got into a fight live on First Take after Smith celebrated the air time she dedicated to women’s sports.
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“Stephen A., respectfully, with your platform, you could have been doing this three years ago if you wanted to,” McNutt fired back to leave Smith stunned.
First Take co-host Molly Qerim intervened to end the fight, but Smith isn’t giving up her claim.
“To address Monica McNutt’s point, I thought it was very unfortunate that she would say that,” Smith he said on his podcast.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am the executive producer of First Take. Have you ever heard of Monica McNutt? You have it now. Because she’s on First Take a lot.
“Chiney Ogwumike, absolutely wonderful and spectacular basketball analyst, ask her what it’s been like being on First Take.
“How about Andraya Carter? Who’s a rising star in this business. How much do you think First Take helped with that?
“What about Kimberley Martin? And Molly Qerim herself?”
“I challenge anyone to find a show on sports television that discusses women’s issues, that discusses the WNBA, or women’s sports that highlights and profiles female analysts more than First Take. This has been happening for years.
“We have black women, we have white women. Mina Kimes, I didn’t forget to mention her.
“First Take led on diversity and equity. Do you have any idea how offensive it was for me to sit there and hear Monica McNutt say that about me when I was the one who handpicked our list on ‘First Take?’
Smith called McNutt’s comment “patently false” but also made sure to point out that his colleague was a friend and that he was not calling her a liar.
“I’m accusing her of not knowing. Because she is not a liar, she is an honorable person,” Smith added.
“She shouldn’t have known. The WNBA, could I have done more? Well guess what, Monica McNutt? I could have done less. Who did the most?
“Hell, a legitimate argument could be made if the WNBA wasn’t doing this for itself.
“The WNBA commissioner came to First Take to thank us for what we were doing for the WNBA. Who else was doing this? Where were these people?
Stephen A. Smith’s journey through the media
STEPHEN A. Smith is now the face of ESPN and executive producer of First Take, having initially started working for the company in 2003.
Smith has held numerous roles at the network, including radio show host, contributions to SportsCenter and appearance on NBA Countdown.
He was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1994 to 2010.
He started as an NBA writer before becoming a general sports columnist.
Prior to that, Smith worked as a reporter at the Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News and the New York Daily News.
McNutt also gave his opinion on the Late night drinking podcast.
“I was genuinely surprised by the reaction. I didn’t mean to make it personal,” she said.
“I’ve been in this women’s basketball space for a long time and I’ve had access to a lot of conversations, pushing, throwing and asking for space.
“So from my point of view, if SA says, let’s talk about this, it will be discussed.
“He and I talked tonight, okay. There are things at stake that I may not have considered when I made that statement.
“But my point is that the way the WNBA is being covered this particular season is with a different fervor and tenor than it was three years ago.
“Now, whatever the factors that influence this, three years ago we didn’t have these conversations about the WNBA like we do now.”
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