WNBA Hall of Famer and current Dallas Wings broadcaster Sheryl Swoopes responded to a fan on X who accused her of being "unfair" to Caitlin Clark with screenshots of alleged text messages.
Swoopes' post on Monday showed three images of her messages with a contact named Caitlin Clark that she claims took place on Feb. 5. The first image showed Swoopes apologizing for an incorrect statement about the length of Clark's college career earlier this year.
"Hey Caitlin, I wanted to personally reach out to you and say I made a mistake on what year this is for you, COVID year has me all confused," Swoopes wrote. "I also have nothing but respect for you and your game and appreciate your skill. Congrats on everything you have accomplished thus far. Be blessed."
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The next two messages show Clark thanking Swoopes for reaching out and her contributions to the WNBA, and Swoopes returning another message that proclaimed appreciation.
Swoopes' apology was for an incorrect statement she issued in an appearance on the "Gil's Arena," podcast with former NBA star Gilbert Arenas in February. Swoopes incorrectly said that Clark stayed in college for five seasons and that she took over 40 shots per game while discussing the topic of how Clark broke the NCAA's all-time basketball points record her senior year in 2023.
But Clark played just four seasons while averaging just 22.7 shots per game en route to the record. She didn't need a fifth year or even 22.3 shots per game to score the most points of any basketball player, men's or women's, in college history.
Swoopes, who was the first player to be signed in the WNBA with the Houston Commets in 1997, was removed from her regular post as Dallas Wings color commentator for the team's game against Clark's Indiana Fever on Sunday.
Swoopes has fired off several responses to posts on X that have referenced her interactions and previous statements on Clark since she was removed.
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Outside of the incorrect statement on Clark's collegiate career back in February, Swoopes has made several other comments about Clark that have drawn criticism.
Swoopes recently praised Chicago Sky player Diamond DeShields after a game in which DeShields fouled Clark to the floor, committing a flagrant 1 foul. It was only the latest in a series of controversial fouls the Sky committed on Clark in their four meetings this year.
Hours after DeShields committed the foul, she posted a screenshot of her notifications list on Instagram, which included a string of hate comments from a user referencing a spinal cord tumor DeShields overcame in 2020.
Swoopes wrote, "Head up kid! Hate will not win!! You are covered and ain't nothing these evil people can do about that. All love for you!" in a post on X in response to DeShileds after the Sky's loss to Indiana on Friday.
In an August episode of her podcast "Queens of the Court," Swoopes did not name Clark as a reason for the recent improvement of the Fever. Swoopes only praised Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull. However, Clark has been the team's leading scorer during its win stream, and is already one of the top scorers in the WNBA.
ESPN host Stephen A. Smith responded to Swoopes' statements in the episode and said the Hall of Famer was "insane to do that."
"Do you have any idea how that makes you look?" Smith said to Swoopes.
Swoopes clapped back to Smith as soon as she could in a response on X.
"You talk about whomever and whatever you want to on your podcast. Correct? So why can't I? Also, did you listen to the ENTIRE episode? NOPE! I have a personal relationship with these players and they deserve recognition as well."
During Swoopes' absence from the broadcast booth on Sunday, Clark put up 28 points and 12 assists to lead Indiana to its fourth straight win and six in its last seven games. Clark scored the 595th point of her career, surpassing WNBA legend Tamika Catchings for the most in a single season by a rookie in Fever history. She finished with 617 points as Sunday’s game ended.
Clark has seemed to break a landmark record in every game she's played in recently.
In Friday's game against the Sky, Clark had the first 30-point, 12-assist game in WNBA history while becoming just the fifth player, and first rookie, to record at least 30 points and 10 assists in a game. On top of that, Clark now has 12 double-doubles, which breaks the WNBA record for most double-doubles by a guard in a single season.
Just three days before that, Clark set the record for most made 3-pointers by a rookie, surpassing the mark initially set by the Atlanta Dream’s Rhyne Howard. She was 3-of-12 from downtown and finished with 19 points, five rebounds and five assists as Indiana picked up its 15th win.
That same night, she also became the first WNBA player to have at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in six consecutive WNBA games. It was her 10th straight game with at least 15 points and five rebounds, which put her in the elite club with Diana Taurasi as the players who have hit the mark.
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