As a former NBA player and zero-time All-Star, Stephen Jackson was known for saying some ridiculous things. After all, we're talking about a man who uttered the following phrase: "I make love to pressure."
Jackson has continued his legacy by spewing nonsense on his "All the Smoke" podcast, which he co-hosts with former NBA forward Matt Barnes. It's usually little more than a bunch of silly basketball takes.
But Jackson took issue with an interview with "CBS Mornings" host Gayle King for her interview with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, in which King brought up ex-Iowa star Caitlin Clark. The Gamecocks beat Iowa in the NCAA women's title game to finish the season 38-0.
During the interview, King told Staley that "we were all cheering for Iowa, of course, and Caitlin Clark," but that South Carolina won the hearts of fans along the way. Yeah, probably not the best way to lead an interview — but honestly, whatever.
Jackson, however, went off.
So, Gayle King's supposed to be somebody that's big in the journalism space, right?" Jackson, 46, said in the video, posted to his Instagram feed. "And I don't consider her Black media. Y'all give her all these passes because she's Oprah's friend. I don't give a f-k whose friend she is.
"... But you cannot demean Dawn Staley like that. You're talking to her about winning the championship, about going undefeated. And you have the nerve to get on there and say, 'We was rooting for Caitlin Clark and you broke everybody's hearts.'
"Who is 'we'? Who is 'we'? All the Black people I know was rooting for Dawn Staley. We're all fans of Caitlin Clark, but the way you put it, that s-t was trash.
"I'm glad it's a new day in the media space... You don't even say stuff like that to somebody on an interview. You just demeaned her and made it about Caitlin Clark. That's trash, super trash."
It wasn't great, but why was Jackson so upset? He wasn't impacted at all. Staley may not have loved it, but she's said nothing. She's always been all class and a winner.
Meanwhile, Jackson played for eight teams in 14 seasons, as barely anyone wanted to keep him in their locker room for long. He continues to give examples as to why even in retirement.
View this post on Instagram
