Stephen A. Smith goes on Trump-invoked monologue about Caitlin Clark: 'The times we're living in'

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Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark earlier this week said she doesn't pay attention to her name being used in "culture wars."

The No. 1 overall pick from Iowa says she's focused on basketball, which got pushback from members of the media as well as Connecticut Sun player DiJonai Carrington.

Clark then said it was "unacceptable" for anyone to use her name to "push those agendas."

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Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever looks on during the game against the Connecticut Sun at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Monday. (Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)

But reasons for her popularity continue to be discussed, and nothing changed on Friday, when ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith went on a nearly five-minute monologue about Clark, noting that race plays a role in many of the discussions about her.

"There’s a broader issue here that can’t be escaped, and that is this: She is a White young lady. And she’s been a magnet in a way that has benefitted the league in ways that others have not, even though their efforts have been worthy and deserving of being as celebrated, if not even more celebrated," Smith said on Friday's "First Take."

"And it’s a reminder that no matter how far we believe that we have advanced as a society, there’s still such a long way to go. Because in the end, if you’re White, you’re bright, you’re right, and as a result, the shine comes your way in the eyes of a lot of people in America."

Smith then, not by name, mentioned former President Trump's "claim to fame."

Stephen A. Smith appears at the Disney 2024 upfront presentation held at North