Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. dominated Saturday night’s Final Four matchup against Auburn, scoring an impressive 34 points—easily the game-high—as nobody else from either team managed more than 18. His performance helped the Gators secure a 79-73 victory after trailing 46-38 at halftime. As the Gators were closing in on the win in the second half, Stephen A. Smith shared his thoughts on Clayton.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, just in case you did not know: this brother from @GatorsMBK, his name is Walter Clayton Jr., and he is something special,” Smith posted on X. “This brother is the real deal. Reminds me of @DetroitPistons big time guard Wade Cunningham.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, just in case you did not know: this brother from @GatorsMBK, his name is Walter Clayton Jr., and he is something special. This brother is the real deal. Reminds me of @DetroitPistons big time guard Wade Cunningham.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 6, 2025
While we can appreciate Smith’s enthusiasm for Clayton’s performance, the comparison to Wade Cunningham is puzzling, as Wade is actually a former IndyCar Series driver.
Ok. https://t.co/wOakCrBJnu pic.twitter.com/t3lQq1oa8p
— Doc Holliday (@The_DocHolliday) April 6, 2025
Relax everybody he’s just a real gearhead https://t.co/hqxQnvrdBe pic.twitter.com/xtNtxSW9A9
— Daman Rangoola (@damanr) April 6, 2025
I do see a little resemblance pic.twitter.com/RAeBaGOoLu
— NBANFLSTAN (@Thebestatit2000) April 6, 2025
It seems Smith likely intended to reference Cade Cunningham, the fourth-year star of the Detroit Pistons. However, typos happen, and it’s worth noting that “W” and “C” aren’t neighbors on the keyboard.
Consequently, many found humor in Smith’s mix-up.
Wade Cunningham. https://t.co/pPnvtaRecp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 6, 2025
https://t.co/5e2aHtCb0l pic.twitter.com/W5JBAyQ0be
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) April 6, 2025
ESPN paid this man $100 million. https://t.co/sqfxaZh7Oi
— College Sports Only 🏈 🏀 ⚾️ (@CollegeSportsO) April 6, 2025
Wade Cunningham is crazy https://t.co/65DuI0KAbP
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) April 6, 2025
This guy is the biggest meme on the planet. Just a hilariously ridiculous comparison and called him Wade Cunningham 😂 https://t.co/gox0ZRIAqo
— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) April 6, 2025
first time watching basketball, Stephen?
— Elliott Pohnl (@ElliottPohnl) April 6, 2025
This is the “face” of NBA coverage https://t.co/AXFijh3UIo
— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) April 6, 2025
Stick to politics.
— Ballsack Sports (@BallsackSports) April 6, 2025
While both Clayton and Cunningham are guards, they have notable differences—Clayton is 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, whereas Cade Cunningham stands at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. Furthermore, Oklahoma City Thunder stars Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso recently pointed out that the national media may not fully understand how to cover the league, and this instance seems to support their claim. We’re just relieved Smith didn’t call him “Walter Payton.”
