‘We Are Going To Delete That!’ Fox Host Hammers Riley Gaines For Over-The-Line Remark About WNBA Superstar

Fox News host Arthel Neville came down on commentator Riley Gaines like a ton of bricks when she made an over-the-line remark during a conversation about WNBA star Caitlin Clark by citing Brittney Griner’s unjust imprisonment as a reason to keep her off the U.S. Olympic team.

Much-heralded WNBA rookie Clark was left off of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball squad, sparking intense debate between those who think she was correctly omitted and those who think she should have been included.

Griner — the Phoenix Mercury superstar who was unjustly imprisoned in Russia for 10 months — was included on the roster.

Neville interviewed Gaines on Sunday’s edition of Fox News Channel’s Fox News Live about the Clark controversy. The host repeatedly expressed affection for Gaines, but stopped her cold when Gaines brought up Griner’s detention and suggested it was grounds to oppose her inclusion on the team:

ARTHEL NEVILLE: I want to I want to read what the commissioner just said in case anyone didn’t hear that.

He said “My mandate is a bit different than USA basketball. My job is to get people to love and watch basketball. USA basketball has a very specific mandate about fielding the best possible team from a competitive standpoint, and I accept they all did their jobs as they were instructed to.”

So, Riley, how do you see it? Caitlin does not have a gold medal, and the rest of the team, they had seven practices while Caitlin was still playing with the WNBA. So does this make the decision fair?

RILEY GAINES: Yeah. To your point, the USA basketball chair, the governing board — their, their job is, is to win. It’s not about popularity — as it shouldn’t be.

So let’s look at the facts here. Caitlin Clark was the number one overall draft pick this year. She holds many Big Ten NCAA records for collegiate women’s basketball.

Despite being a rookie, she has two 30-point games under her belt, including a historic performance just this past Friday where she tied a WNBA rookie record, with seven three pointers in an 85 to 83 win over the Washington Mystics. Even today she scored 23 points.

So to say, the USA basketball chair actually said it would be irresponsible, to put Caitlin Clark on the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team.

All while putting Brittney Griner on the team. But she’s been out since the second game of the season with a toe fracture. She might not even be playing again for another month.

So I think with the extreme controversy that she brings, the exclusion of Clark. Women’s basketball has likely cost itself many millions of viewers.

ARTHEL NEVILLE: Let me let me just — Okay. All right. Let me jump in, Riley. Because you said a lot there. First of all, you kept refer — by the way, I like Caitlin Clark. Just for the record.

You said that– you mentioned, referred to Caitlin as a rookie multiple times, which she is. And I’m not sure what you mean by the controversy that Brittney Griner brings to the game. I mean, that’s kind of not fair to say without explanation.

RILEY GAINES: Well, I mean, I think given everything that happened overseas, given that she was, put in jail, I mean, the controversy is certainly there whether we want it there or not.

ARTHEL NEVILLE: Not her fault! And wrogly accused!

(CROSSTALK)

Let’s — let’s be fair! That’s — Riley — I like you a lot, too. That’s not right! That was — she was wrongfully accused. And that is —

RILEY GAINES: Just —

ARTHEL NEVILLE: Not fair to bring that up! So we’re going to delete that! Okay? Let’s you and I continue, again, I like you a lot.

Watch above via Fox News Channel’s Fox News Live.