Former NBA champ furious over Gayle King’s Caitlin Clark praise to Dawn Staley
Former NBA champ Stephen Jackson didn’t sugarcoat his feelings about Gayle King after the co-host of “CBS Mornings” ruffled some feathers over her interview with South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley.
Taking to his Instagram Saturday, Jackson called King “trash” and accused her of “demeaning” Staley in the April 7 interview after the undefeated Gamecocks beat Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes to win the 2024 NCAA women’s title earlier this month.
Jackson explained that he took issue with King telling Staley during the interview that “we were all cheering for Iowa, of course, and Caitlin Clark,” but she and South Carolina won the hearts of so many people.
Warning: Graphic Language
Excuse me Ms. Gayle I am not sure who you are referring to when you say we all were rooting for Iowa. NO we ALL were not! 🤦🏾♂️ #Gayleking pic.twitter.com/dEO3ebas1E
— Nick (@officialboss214) April 16, 2024
“So, Gayle King’s supposed to be somebody that’s big in the journalism space, right?” Jackson, 46, began in the video, which was 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.’
Former NBA champ Stephen Jackson rips CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King after her interview with South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley.Instagram/Stephen Jackson
Dawn Staley, head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, speaks to the media after beating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 7, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.Getty Images
Gayle King attends “Hell’s Kitchen” Broadway opening night at Shubert Theatre on April 20, 2024 in New York City.Getty Images
“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.”
Jackson — a former guard, who played for eight teams in his 14-season career — is the co-host of the “All the Smoke” podcast with fellow former NBA champ Matt Barnes as part of All The Smoke Productions.
Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey attend the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Getty Images for The Recording Academy
King, 69, faced some backlash for her interview with Staley.
One person called it a “bulls–t statement” by King.
“She owes Dawn Staley an apology,” another person wrote on X, including Jackson’s video.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley raises the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship trophy at a celebration at the Colonial Life Arena on April 8, 2024 in Columbia, South Carolina.Getty Images
Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.Getty Images
King has yet to address Jackson’s comments as of Monday afternoon — nor has Staley.
The Basketball Hall of Famer is on cloud nine after she and the Gamecocks received a personal gift and congratulatory card from Beyonce after coaching the them to their second title in three years.
Staley also praised Clark for playing a major role in helping grow the women’s game at the college level after the championship game.
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