ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith voiced a degree of support for the proposition of a federal investigation into the WNBA for alleged “civil rights violations” against their star player, Caitlin Clark.
Smith discussed a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed that argued the government needed to step in since the league “won’t act to protect its superstar from a hostile environment.”
“Ms. Clark faces a textbook hostile work environment,” the author writes, adding, “If evidence shows discrimination or retaliation, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division must act.”
Which seems like an absurd governmental overreach, but lo, Stephen A. appears to be on board with it.
Stephen A. Smith on a Federal Investigation Into the WNBA: ‘They Have an Argument’
It’s no secret that the WNBA is struggling with how to deal with their megastar when a good portion of their players view her through a lens of jealousy and have gone out of their way to punish her for it physically.
Injuries have marred Clark’s sophomore season, some of which fans and even her brother have suggested are a result of overly physical play being allowed by the WNBA referees.
Smith thinks there’s something to this column calling for an investigation.
“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,” he said on his Tuesday show.
“You don’t think Catilin Clark could become an issue of national, potentially international, and definitely federal proportions?”
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One would hope that the league gets this under control itself. Nobody wants to see the Justice Department having to intervene in the affairs of the WNBA. But they have had almost two full seasons to address these problems and it appears to just be getting worse.
The Indiana Fever star hasn’t helped, raising eyebrows by suggesting she’s the beneficiary of privilege, something that surfaced when Clark was named TIME Athlete of the Year for 2024.
By contrast, she is far and above one of the most targeted players in the league. And her fans are constantly being harassed, even by the WNBA itself, with false allegations of – and investigations into – racism. Again, Clark didn’t help matters by supporting the investigation into her own fans when there was absolutely no evidence that they made racist taunts directed at Angel Reese.
Clark’s teammate, Sophie Cunningham, set off alarm bells when she recently pointed out that her former team literally targeted and tried to go after the reigning Rookie of the Year.
Sophie Cunningham talks about the targeting of Caitlin Clark. On this podcast, no
— CCFC- (@sohali2012) July 30, 2025
Lies were told. She let it all out. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/3WmpSJcZ5R
Cunningham played for the Phoenix Mercury before being traded to Indiana.
“You have seen players in our league try to, like, toughen up Caitlin,” she said. “Even when I wasn’t on her team, I know the talks that Phoenix had in the locker room, like ‘no, we’re going to show her what the W really is.’”
“And I get it to a certain extent, and every rookie coming into the league, that’s how you’re going to treat ’em, but there’s just more for her,” Cunningham admitted.
Caitlin Clark unquestionably received more than her fair share of flagrant fouls last season. Opponents took every opportunity they could during her rookie campaign to bump Clark all over the court. Cunningham saw it then, but now that they’re teammates, she thinks the attack plan is a little excessive.
“And now being on her team and seeing it, I’m like ‘what are people doing,’ actually, it’s just too much, it’s too much,” said Cunningham. “I’m over it, and if I think it’s too much, it’s probably too much.”
Smith contends that things could really become an issue for the WNBA if the President of the United States decides to step in.
“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?” he challenged.
