*NBA champion Stephen Jackson criticized Gayle King for her recent interview with South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley.
Staley recently earned her third championship when she guided the Gamecocks to victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes to win the 2024 NCAA women’s title this month. King interviewed her on April 7, during which she remarked about cheering for Iowa star player Caitlin Clark, which sparked controversy.
On Saturday, Jackson slammed King in a video shared on X. He accused the veteran journalist of belittling Staley by mentioning Clark. He took issue with King telling Staley that “we were all cheering for Iowa, of course, and Caitlin Clark,”
“So, Gayle King’s supposed to be somebody that’s big in the journalism space, right? 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— whose friend she is. You don’t do nothing for nobody.
“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.’
Stephen Jackson calls out Gayle King after she admits to Dawn Staley that she was rooting for Caitlin Clark and Iowa over South Carolina during an interview pic.twitter.com/2sqAXuIlu0
— SHO’NUFF (@IAMSHO_NUFF) April 20, 2024
“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— 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 demeaned her and made it about Caitlin Clark. That’s trash, super trash.”
Watch Jackson’s full explicit rant via the X/Twitter clip above.
On social media, one person called it a “bulls–t statement” by King.
“She owes Dawn Staley an apology,” another person wrote on X.
READ MORE: ‘King Charles’ Dethroned: CNN Concludes Charles Barkley and Gayle King’s Show | VIDEO
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