SHANNON Sharpe has been left visibly frustrated on First Take as he, Stephen A. Smith, and Molly Qerim got into a tense WNBA debate.
Sunday marked yet another dominant performance from WNBA star Caitlin Clark for the Indiana Fever as they beat the Dallas Wings 100-93.
Clark finished the game with 28 points and 12 assists leaving the Fever at 17-16 for the season and third in the Eastern Conference.
Following the win, Qerim asked First Take co-hosts Smith and Sharpe whether or not Clark could lead Indiana on a deep playoff run.
While he felt the Fever were playing well, Sharpe explained that taking on one of the top three teams may be too much for Indiana just yet.
“I’m disappointed in you,” Smith told Sharpe, adding that he was also disappointed in Qerim.
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He then turned the topic from whether or not Clark and the Fever could reach the playoffs, to fighting back at those – including Qerim – he felt had given both himself and Sharpe “heat” for heaping praise on Clark all season.
“No one denied the fact that she was a star and she could play,” Qerim insisted.
“Y’all were denying it Molly don’t do that!” Sharpe retorted.
“What I’m saying is that a lot of you came up here and because Caitlin Clark was getting shine, you guys were saying, ‘Don’t give Caitlin Clark shine, because there were women that were before her that don’t get shine.'”
Qerim doubled down that “there were a lot of people that laid the groundwork that deserve shine as well.”
“Are they playing now?” Sharpe repeatedly asked.
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But at this point, a heated Sharpe was cut off by Qerim.
She noted that regular analysts and former basketball stars Monica McNutt, Andraya Carter, and Chiney Ogwumike weren’t there to give their opinions on the debate, suggesting they should revisit the topic upon their return.
Despite Sharpe’s insistence that they “hold on,” Qerim told Sharpe and Smith “We’ve got to switch over to ESPN 2 guys” adding that “producers are running the bumps, I’m sorry.”
ESPN then cut to a commercial break.
Viewers were quick to weigh in with their take on the exchange on X.
Molly Qerim’s life in the spotlight
Molly Qerim has risen through the ranks to become one of the biggest stars at ESPN.
The popular sports host began her media career in 2006 with ESPN and spent four years with the network.
She then covered college basketball and football for CBS Sports Network in New York.
Qerim balanced that with hosting duties for NFL Network in Los Angeles – fronting NFLAM and NFL Fantasy Live.
The host returned to ESPN in 2015 and immediately took the role of First Take anchor.
And Qerim has been an ever-present, popular host of the daily sports debate show ever since.
“Lmao @FirstTake it’s crazy how they ‘had’ to go to another topic when @stephenasmith and @ShannonSharpe was about to cook on the CC topic,” one fan said.
“They just cut @ShannonSharpe off on @FirstTake when he was about to go in!” claimed a second.
“He was speaking facts!! Don’t let any of ’em off the hook!”
A third commented, “Molly just cut y’all off and went to commercial on y’all. That’s Molly’s show now.”
While another added, “Man they cooked Molly on First Take just now.”
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First Take is slated to return on Tuesday at 10am ET.
As for Clark and the Fever, they’ll return to the court on Wednesday when they host the Los Angeles Sparks.
