"You don't understand the damage you did to yourself": Stephen A. Smith drops his verdict on LSU HC Kim Mulkey-Washington Post controversy

Stephen A. Smith has opened up on the recent Kim Mulkey controversy in which the LSU Tigers coach accused The Washington Post of issuing a "hit piece" on her and called its reporter "sleazy." Smith, an ESPN analyst, offered his take on the issue on his YouTube channel.

After revealing that the reporter Mulkey targeted was Kent Babb, a journalist who has earned numerous accolades in his profession, Smith said:

"Kim Mulkey, respectfully, when you talk about this man this way, do you understand that the one dancing is you? The article isn't out yet. We don't know what's going to be said, we know that you're going to sue because you've hired an elite, prestigious defamation law firm, we get all of that. But you don't understand the damage you did to yourself when you said the man has been trying to reach you for two years.

"So if he's been trying to reach you for two years, and you refuse to talk to him, and you're moaning and groaning about it now, essentially, what you're saying is you wanted to dictate his ability to do his job. If his job is to write a story on you, and he's been pursuing you for two years trying to interview you, at some point in time, your inaccessibility can't dictate him doing his job, which is to provide a story to the Washington Post about you."

Mulkey's controversial comments against The Washington Post and its reporter first came at a pregame press conference on Saturday. She repeated them after LSU’s 83-56 victory over 11th-seeded Middle Tennessee in the March Madness Round of 32 on Sunday.

Mulkey threatened to sue the publication for defamation over an apparent “hit piece” allegedly in the works.

Who will Kim Mulkey's LSU face next in the NCAA Tournament?

LSU Tigers HC Kim Mulkey

Kim Mulkey's third-seed LSU (31-5) will square off against second-seed UCLA (28-6) in the Sweet 16 round. The game will tip off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Time Union Center.

The Bruins beat the California Baptist Lancers in the first round of March Madness before recording a 67-63 win over seventh-seed Creighton in the second round.

Meanwhile, the Tigers took down the Rice Owls in the first round of March Madness before beating Middle Tennessee in the second round. The reigning NCAA champions will be eager to defend their crown this season, but there's still a long way to go.