Stephen A. Smith Exposes “Tactics and Tricks” Used by WNBA Teams to Land Top College Talent

In a jaw-dropping segment on ESPN’s First Take this morning, veteran sports commentator Stephen A. Smith dropped what he called “long-overdue truths” about behind-the-scenes maneuvering in the WNBA’s recruitment and draft landscape. According to Smith, several WNBA teams have engaged in questionable practices during the college scouting and draft process to secure top-tier talent, including influencing player decisions behind closed doors.

“Let’s stop pretending this game is squeaky clean,” Smith said bluntly. “There are backdoor deals, quiet promises, and strategic tanking going on. It’s real—and it’s time we talk about it.”

While Smith didn’t name specific franchises, he hinted that multiple top-level programs have been involved in influencing college stars long before draft night—sometimes even during their sophomore and junior years. He described situations where agents, coaches, and team executives allegedly coordinated with players’ inner circles to guide them toward specific teams or discourage them from declaring early, depending on draft positioning.

“There are teams out here whispering in players’ ears before they’ve even graduated,” Smith continued. “Some front offices are telling agents, ‘Keep her in school one more year, and we’ll make sure she lands in L.A., or New York, or wherever she wants.’ That’s not just strategy—that’s manipulation.”

The segment immediately sparked widespread attention online, with fans, analysts, and former players weighing in. Some dismissed the claims as speculation, while others applauded Smith for shedding light on an increasingly competitive and opaque draft process.

Former WNBA champion and now analyst Candace Parker commented during a follow-up segment, saying,

“This isn’t new to insiders, but hearing it publicly changes the conversation. There’s definitely pressure, politics, and positioning going on that the average fan never sees.”

The timing of Smith’s comments comes amid growing scrutiny of how the WNBA manages its relationship with NCAA players and the draft pipeline. With top college athletes like Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, and Angel Reese gaining massive followings before they ever enter the draft, the stakes have never been higher for teams looking to rebuild around future stars.

The WNBA currently does not operate with a formal draft lottery transparency process like the NBA, and its rookie wage scale leaves little room for financial negotiation. As a result, some franchises may resort to creative tactics to “guide” talent their way—especially in markets that promise bigger endorsement potential and media visibility.

“At the end of the day, it’s a business,” Smith concluded. “And businesses protect their investments. But when the backroom dealing starts affecting fairness and integrity, fans deserve to know.”

The WNBA has yet to release an official response to Smith’s statements, but league sources have indicated that discussions around updating draft regulations and oversight may now gain new urgency.

In the meantime, Smith’s bold claims have sent shockwaves through the basketball world—and turned the spotlight directly onto how far WNBA teams will go to shape their future.