A WNBA legend has criticized Caitlin Clark, and Stephen A. Smith isn’t having it.
The Indiana Fever rookie has been at her best since the WNBA returned from its month-long break for the Olympics, as she scored 23 and 29 points in her team’s two return games.
However, when discussing Fever’s recent form on the ‘Queens of the Court’ podcast, Sheryl Swoopes somehow failed to mention Clark at all.
“I think the Olympic break really helped Indiana,” she said, referencing the team’s 2-0 start since returning to victory. “I’m going to shout out to Lexie Hull. I’m a big Lexie Hull fan. Lexie Hull shot the ball out of the ball in their game against Seattle. Kelsey Mitchell is just stroking; she’s just shooting the basketball. Aliyah Boston, almost a triple-double… If Indiana continues to play the way they’re playing like that, they’re going to move up in the standings, too.
Smith, who has been a vocal supporter of Clark this season, took notice of those comments and called the former Houston Comets star “crazy” for not mentioning the Rookie of the Year front-runner.
Stephen A. Smith criticized Sheryl Swoopes for her resemblance to Caitlin Clark in a recent podcast
Sheryl Swoopes recently praised Fever’s game without mentioning Caitlin Clark
“So, Caitlin Clark is not in it? Sheryl Swoopes, Caitlin Clark is not in it?” Smith said on her eponymous show. Terrible announcement.
‘With all due respect, Sheryl Swoopes, do you have any idea how that makes you look good? Do you have any idea how that serves to taint any kind of criticism of Caitlin Clark? Because it gives fodder to those who believe that she is being hated and ostracized to a certain degree. Do you realize, Sheryl Swoopes, that you are crazy for doing that? Let me tell you why you are crazy for doing that. Because, Sheryl Swoopes, you are one of the greatest players in the history of basketball, that’s why.
She continued: “Look, you won a championship at Texas Tech. You won three Olympic gold medals. You won four WNBA championships. You know basketball. You know basketball better than me; you know basketball (better) than any of the experts. You know basketball better than most men who play basketball. There’s no way you accidentally left Caitlin Clark’s name out of that soliloquy you said about the Indiana Fever. Stop it.”
It should be noted that this is not the first time Swoopes has criticized Clark.
While Clark was still in college at Iowa and closing in on the NCAA Division 1 all-time scoring record, Swoopes questioned on the Gil’s Arena podcast whether Clark’s record was “legitimate.” His claim wasn’t even based on accurate information, as he believed Clark had played five seasons at Iowa (in fact, he played four).
Until that point, Smith had previously spoken out about how the majority-black WNBA “resents” Clark, who is white, and her success.
She made the comments after Chicago Sky player Chennedy Carter attempted to body-slam her during a game on June 1.
Clark has been playing brilliantly of late with the Fever in position to clinch a playoff spot.
“There are girls, young ladies, in the WNBA that are jealous of Caitlin Clark. She’s a white girl who came into the league,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take.
‘She’s burst onto the scene. She hasn’t proven herself yet. It’s not even about them thinking they’re better than her, because they probably know that at this particular moment because they’ve been playing at the same level that she’s just gotten to.
‘The resentment comes from the hard work, the commitment, the dedication, the constant effort, the effort for all these years trying to elevate this brand that is the WNBA and women’s professional basketball, and all of their efforts were in vain until this girl comes along and takes the league by storm, takes the sport by storm in college and has accomplished in a short period of time what they haven’t been able to accomplish.
‘You would think people would be smart enough to recognize and appreciate that about Caitlin Clark, use that to their advantage, and praise and support her for it as they compete against her on the court.’
Regardless of any potential ‘hard feelings’ from his teammates, Clark has had a fantastic rookie season, averaging 17.8 points and 8.3 assists in 28 games so far.