“I Don’t Care What Anybody Says”: Stephen A. Smith Picks Caitlin Clark over Angel Reese As the Best Collegiate Player in the World After Iowa’s Win

Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith had some high praise for Caitlin Clark after her heroics against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Playing in only her 2nd game of the Big 10 Conference, Clark produced 44  points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists en route to a comfortable 80-76 victory for her team. 

While she was not at her efficient best when it came to shooting, Clark converted 13 of her 17 free throws and tied Kelsey Plum for the most 30-point games in Division 1 over the last 25 seasons. The performance resulted in Stephen A. Smith comparing Caitlin Clark to none other than Stephen Curry.

He claimed that Clark was the best in the world at Collegiate basketball, and proclaimed her as the Steph of women’s basketball. “This girl is the best in the world on a collegiate women’s level. I don’t care what anybody says, there’s nobody better than her. She is a sensational talent, no question about it. She is the Steph Curry of women’s basketball. That is what I call her,” he said.

Talking about her record-breaking performance, Stephen A. Smith went a couple of steps further, calling Clark a wonderful, articulate person as well. 

“How many games is this now? That is her 38th career 30-point game, And you know, she has done 40+ several times. She is a marksman extraordinaire, and she is a wonderful, wonderful person, incredibly articulate as well,” he proclaimed.

Smith then went on to talk about Clark’s potential, claiming that she still had plenty of things to improve. The analyst claimed that Clark’s presence meant that the WNBA had something special on their hands. “You’ll see people clamoring for her.  I gotta tell you something, Caitlin Clark ultimately in the WNBA is going to be something special to behold. She’s special now and she’s only getting better,” he concluded.

Caitlin Clark has continued to improve in recent seasons and has been playing at a consistently high level in 2023. Her recent performances have meant that Smith, like quite a few others, has already made their conclusions about her being the best collegiate women’s basketball player in the world, over the likes of LSU Tigers sensation Angel Reese.

Caitlin Clark takes back thunder from Angel Reese following dominant Big 10 showing

Clark has been involved in a longstanding feud with fellow sensation Angel Reese. The two were involved in a lengthy back and forth during the 2023 National Championship Final, which LSU won.

Reese had made John Cena’s “You Can’t See Me” gesture at Clark, something which the Iowa Hawkeyes star had been guilty of doing earlier in the tournament. While both players downplayed the “feud” in later interviews, they have competed against each other constantly in recent years and appear set to do so in the coming time as well.

While Clark and the Hawkeyes lost out against Reese’s LSU Tigers in the Final last time around, her recent performances send an ominous warning for the rest of the season. The two players are the brightest stars in Women’s Collegiate basketball as of now, and both appear to have bright futures ahead of themselves.