Even though Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever faced an early exit in the first round of the playoffs, the buzz around the generational talent hasn’t faded. In fact, her absence has been linked to a dip in WNBA ratings, keeping her very much in the spotlight. “With Caitlin Clark, you find yourself watching the league as well,” stated Stephen A. Smith earlier who has been vocal to Fever rookie throughout. Now, with her impact on playoff ratings evident, he couldn’t resist taking a jab at one of her regular critics, Sheryl Swoopes.

Recently, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith took to his YouTube channel to delve into the significant drop in WNBA ratings following Clark’s departure from the playoffs. He pointed out that while the viewership for the Liberty versus Aces matchup was decent, it still fell short of the impressive numbers seen when Clark faced off against the Sun. Smith didn’t hold back, declaring Clark a “golden goose” for the league. But he didn’t stop there and stirred the pot, referencing previous criticisms from Sheryl Swoopes regarding Clark’s performance.

“Caitlin Clark is the Golden Goose, not most, not all but, some people spent some time resenting her for. It’s Sheryl Swoopes was one of those people – want to give shine – you want to give love to others other than her (Clark)  just say what you truly feel,” stated the ESPN analyst.

This isn’t the first time Smith has challenged the WNBA legend for not giving Clark the acknowledgment she deserves.

“Sheryl Swoopes, take notes. You ain’t playing no more. You’re a Hall of Famer and a champion and a basketball savant. you know good and damn well, you had no business talking about the Indiana Fever without mentioning Caitlin Clark,” Smith had said after the Houston Comets star had left out Clark’s name while discussing Fever’s growth in August. A row had followed between them on social media, with Swoopes even calling him a ‘coward’ and declaring she was ready to go on his show to discuss more. Nothing followed though.

But it’s hard to deny that Swoopes has consistently downplayed Clark’s influence on the game. Back in July, the retired Houston legend made headlines when she remarked that the Indiana Fever’s playoff chances wouldn’t be affected by Clark’s presence. Instead, she chose to highlight the performance of Katie Lou Samuelson. While Swoopes has openly praised other rookies, such as Clark’s rival Angel Reese and Rickea Jackson from the Los Angeles Sparks, her acknowledgments of Clark’s talent seem to be few and far between.

While Stephen A. Smith may have taken a shot at Sheryl Swoopes, he has every reason to feel confident about his earlier predictions regarding Caitlin Clark’s impact on the league.

Stephen A. Smith’s predictions about Caitlin Clark’s popularity mirror the crashing WNBA ratings

The WNBA playoffs have recently drawn attention, especially after Game 1 between the Liberty and the Aces set records for a semifinal matchup. Despite the excitement, the viewership still fell short of the numbers generated by Caitlin Clark’s final playoff game. According to Nielsen, the semifinal attracted 929,000 viewers and peaked at 1.2 million, marking it as the most-watched semifinal in the last 22 years.

However, Clark’s last playoff appearance made waves with an impressive 2.54 million viewers, a staggering figure that far eclipsed the recent semifinal record. While this staggering figure might have raised a few eyebrows, it certainly wouldn’t have caught Stephen A. Smith off guard. He has been vocal about Clark’s influence on the league, stating that she is a key reason why fans are tuning in.

After the Fever’s playoff elimination, media outlets, including ESPN, highlighted Caitlin Clark’s impressive rookie season. A notable segment compared her WNBA stats to icons like Simone Biles and Serena Williams under the headline “TRAILBLAZING ATHLETES,” sparking debate about whether it’s fair to place her alongside such legends.

However, ESPN analyst Smith supported her inclusion in this conversation, arguing that, like Biles and Williams, Clark has drawn significant attention to the league, making fans eager to see her compete. “With Serena, you were watching her, with Simone Biles you were watching her, Caitlin Clark got you watching the league because it wasn’t just her, you wanted to see who eventually she was going to end up going against,” stated Smith.

True to his predictions, the effects of Caitlin Clark’s absence are becoming increasingly evident, as WNBA ratings have noticeably dropped following the Fever’s elimination. With Stephen A. Smith bringing up Sheryl Swoopes’ previous comments once again, it seems like another clash between the two might be brewing.