Stephen A Smith, Monica McNutt get into heated argument about media's WNBA coverage on ESPN's 'First Take'

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The WNBA was top of mind for many sports shows on Monday morning after a wild weekend for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, and things got pretty testy on ESPN’s "First Take" because of it. 

Stephen A. Smith and Monica McNutt got into a heated argument during the debate show when the topic of Clark’s incident with Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter came up at the top of the program. There have been many narratives regarding the hip-check-turned-flagrant-foul that Carter placed on Clark, and McNutt argued that new WNBA fans may think the league is out to get Clark. 

"You guys may not have said, ‘Everybody,’ but the prevailing sentiment for folks that are just joining the WNBA and following women’s sports is unfair to the women of this league – to your point – who have laid the groundwork for Caitlin Clark to come in and now take it to the next level," McNutt said on the show. 

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Stephen A. Smith before the in-season tournament championship between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Dec. 9, 2023. (Kyle Terada-USA Today Sports)

She added: ‘The game is physical, Caitlin is helping to grow the league, these women understand that. But she cannot be babied as a rookie."

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Smith, though, took it personally when McNutt mentioned the media’s coverage of the WNBA. 

"Who talks about the WNBA, who talks about women’s sports more than No. 1 'First Take?'" Smith, a mainstay on the show with Shannon Sharpe, questioned McNutt. 

"Stephen A., respectfully, with your platform, you could’ve been doing this three years ago if you wanted to,"