Sheryl Swoopes wants everyone to slow down with the Caitlin Clark hype, and the WNBA legend has even invented her own statistics to advance her narrative.
Swoopes, a four-time WNBA champion and three-time WNBA MVP, spoke at length about Clark during a recent appearance on the “Gil’s Arena” podcast, which is hosted by former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. One of the ways in which Swoopes downplayed Clark’s accomplishments was by saying a record should only be considered “legitimate” if the player breaks it in the same amount of time that the previous record holder took to set it.
Clark is on the verge of becoming the all-time leading scorer in Division I women’s college basketball history. The Iowa star needs just 66 points to pass Kelsey Plum, who scored 3,527 points during her career at Washington. One of the things Swoopes ranted about is that Clark has played longer than Plum played, which is simply not true.
A clip of Sheryl talking about Caitlin Clark went viral. But I see yall tried to bury this one
If ANYBODY else was this loud and wrong with misinformation yall woulda lit this app on fire. But since its about CC yall pretended it didnt happen. Nasty pic.twitter.com/jKvRRIMfF9
— Future Of The Retro (@TraeK_) February 4, 2024
“Kelsey Plum set that record in four years. Well, Caitlin should have broke that record in four years,” Swoopes said. “But because there was a Covid year and another year — you know what I mean? She’s already had an extra year to break that record, so is it truly a broken record?”
Arenas agreed and said the current college game should be “a whole separate entity” because student-athletes have had the option of playing up to six years if they use a redshirt year and use the Covid-19 waiver that was enacted in 2020-21 to play an additional season. Clark, a senior, can return to Iowa for a fifth year next season if she chooses, but she is currently in her fourth year. Swoopes clearly did not realize that, and neither did Arenas.
Plum scored her record 3,527 points over 139 games in four seasons. Clark has played 123 games and will likely break the record in her next two or three games.
That wasn’t the only completely fabricated statistic that Swoopes threw out, either. Swoopes also questioned how Clark’s game will translate to the WNBA because she said Clark will not be able to take 40 shots a game like she does now.
When I saw the clip that went viral I said it was a valid opinion & not even controversial
But seeing the whole thing Sheryl was ABSOLUTELY hating on Caitlin with blatant lies. And not not one of you crusaders for truth called it out.
“40 shots a game” is generational lying pic.twitter.com/bnFNJHV8Lx
— Future Of The Retro (@TraeK_) February 4, 2024
Clark is averaging 22.3 field goal attempts per game this season and 19.7 in her collegiate career.
But wait, there’s more. Swoopes then said it makes sense that Clark dominates the competition because Clark is “a 25-year-old playing against a 20-year-old.”
She also said she’s supposed to be killing cause “25 playing against 20 years”
Caitlin just turned 22 two weeks ago
— Future Of The Retro (@TraeK_) February 4, 2024
Clark just turned 22 last month.
Swoopes and Arenas were rightfully torn apart on social media. Even Iowa Women’s Basketball issued a perfect response by sharing some of Clark’s statistics.
Allow us to introduce you to @CaitlinClark22:
▫️ Age: 22
▫️ Grade: True senior (4th year)
▫️ Games played: 123
▫️ Points: 3,462
▫️ Assists: 980
▫️ FGA/per game: 19.7#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Z6ShxynYn0— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) February 4, 2024
It is truly amazing that Swoopes and Arenas spoke for so long about Clark without even knowing what season she is in. Having an opinion is one thing, but Swoopes just kept pulling fake statistics out of thin air. That was a horrible look.
Clark has had a major impact on women’s college basketball, and the attendance numbers we highlighted recently are just one example of that. Swoopes doesn’t have to think Clark is the best player of all time, but the six-time WNBA All-Star should be embarrassed by how unprepared she sounded in the interview.
