Sports journalist Jason Whitlock has taken issue with the Indiana Fever’s continued support of NaLyssa Smith after she mocked her teammate Caitlin Clark, following an eye-poking incident. The controversy began during Game 1 of the playoff series between the Connecticut Sun and the Fever when Sun forward DiJonai Carrington accidentally poked Clark in the eye while defending a pass. Although Carrington denied any intent to harm, the incident led to post-game mockery by Smith, which drew widespread attention.
In a recent episode of Fearless, Whitlock discussed a video clip of Carrington and her girlfriend, Smith, making fun of the eye-poking incident. Whitlock criticized the Fever for celebrating Smith, even as she mocked her teammate, who has been instrumental in drawing millions of viewers and generating revenue for the WNBA.
Whitlock expressed frustration over the Fever’s reaction, calling it a sign of fear and pandering. “Everybody’s upset that somebody asked DiJonai Carrington a question about intentionally poking Caitlin Clark in the eye,” he said. “Caitlin Clark’s teammate, NaLyssa Smith, on camera making fun of that situation. Obviously, NaLyssa Smith is done with the Indiana Fever. The Indiana Fever have still been putting out tweets about all of their players, and they put out one about NaLyssa Smith in the past 24-48 hours. Here they are celebrating NaLyssa Smith’s season…”
Whitlock questioned the Fever’s decision to promote Smith, even after her involvement in the video mocking Clark. He suggested that the team’s actions were driven by fear of legal repercussions. “What is the Indiana Fever doing? This is the danger of this league built around angry social justice lesbian feminist. They’re worried about getting sued by NaLyssa Smith,” Whitlock argued. “They’re keeping everything above board, it doesn’t matter what NaLyssa Smith does, she can go out and mock our meal ticket, the best player in the league, the person, who’s making us all rich, the person that’s made all of them relevant.”
According to Whitlock, Smith’s actions showed a lack of gratitude and respect for Clark, who had elevated the Fever’s visibility and fan engagement. He argued that Smith should have refrained from mocking her teammate and voiced concern over the Fever’s decision to continue celebrating her. “She has no gratitude, she has no respect. She can’t tell her girlfriend ‘Hey we ain’t doing that.’ But the Indiana Fever so afraid of getting sued by one of these professional victims that play in the WNBA,” he said.
Whitlock’s co-host, Steve Kim, echoed his concerns, speculating on the public reaction if the roles were reversed. “For all those who think it was funny, could you imagine if the roles were reversed? If Caitlin Clark or some other white girl did that and two white girls made a video mocking it, what the reaction would be?” Kim asked. He added that the Fever’s actions reflected a deeper fear of internal and external backlash.
The controversy has sparked broader discussions about the WNBA, team dynamics, and player behavior. Whitlock, known for his outspoken commentary, continued to voice his criticism, adding that the Fever’s pandering was driven by fear of legal consequences rather than genuine support for Smith. “The Fever are so intimidated and worried about being sued by Smith that they’ll continue to play nice,” he tweeted.
