ESPN’s McNutt: Fallout From Viral Women’s Basketball Argument ‘Blew My Mind’

When Monica McNutt told Stephen A. Smith in June he could have been doing more to promote women’s sports in recent years, she couldn’t imagine what would come next. 

Speaking to Amanda Christovich at the Front Office Sports Tuned In summit, McNutt, an ESPN basketball analyst who also calls Knicks games on the radio, said the tidal wave of reaction that followed for challenging ESPN’s franchise player was completely unexpected. 

McNutt was debating with Smith and Shannon Sharpe about Caitlin Clark when Smith asked, “Who talks about the WNBA, who talks about women, who talks about women’s sports more than First Take?”

McNutt, who starred at Georgetown before pursuing a broadcast career said, “Stephen A., respectfully, with your platform, you could have been doing this three years ago if you wanted to.” 

Three months later, McNutt said the negative criticism that followed “really blew my mind.” 

“The way that whole thing panned out to me I was shocked,” McNutt said. “I really thought I said water is wet. And Stephen A. and I are totally fine. As one of our leaders said, he’s not the only one with strong opinions. But for me it wasn’t disputable.”

Speaking of Smith, McNutt added, “I genuinely was like, I know how hard you work. I know your influence at this company. It was, you probably could have been a part of this, as I see it from my perspective.”

After the viral First Take moment, Smith went on his podcast to say he has a great relationship with McNutt, but added she wouldn’t be on his show if it weren’t for him. Smith spoke at Tuned In shortly before McNutt did and both said their relationship is in a great place. Smith’s podcast rant, however, “wasn’t my favorite thing,” McNutt said. 

“Ultimately, I think it’s a moment that people remember as an opportunity to discuss women’s sports more consistently,” she said. 

McNutt also discussed how she’s gotten unnecessary flack for at times saying Caitlin Clark wouldn’t be the league’s rookie of the year. She said Tuesday that Clark will likely win the award. 

As a former player, McNutt said she’s waited years for women’s basketball to receive the attention it has, and “with all the new eyeballs comes some nonsense.” What bothers McNutt is the notion she can’t criticize a fellow women’s player when it happens all the time in the NBA. She thinks there’s a troubling difference in audience standards between the two leagues in terms of how she’s able to critique the WNBA.

“Why is it that women sometimes are not given the grace or [they’re] told how to be and how to do every little thing? McNutt said. “Why is it that for the WNBA that is, you know, a big controversy, whereas in any other men’s league that’s expected. The idea that everybody laid out the red carpet for LeBron James when he got to the NBA—I know for a fact that did not happen, you know what I mean?”