Sheryl Swoopes has become a new source of strife in the basketball world. Her freewheeling remarks on the Iowa Hawkeyes’ star have drawn raging reactions. Inching closer to Kelsey Plum’s all-time NCAA points-scoring record, Caitlin Clark was called out for taking “an extra year to break that record.” But Swoopes’ sweeping statement was dismissed and denounced as a “misrepresentation of facts.” But that’s not all.
Swoopes also commented on the Louisiana State University Lady Tigers’ star Angel Reese, expounding that “Angel will eventually be a good pro,” but she won’t “come into the league immediately and dominate the way people think she will.” While Bayou Barbie’s fans didn’t react too much to what Swoopes had to say, Caitlin Clark’s fans weren’t happy. And they let it be known.
Bayou Barbie backs the brouhaha created by Swoopes
“If you’re going to break a record, if it’s legitimate, you have to break that record in the same amount of time [the record holder] set it in,” said Swoopes. Plum played in 139 games. Clark has played 123. Plum played for four years. Clark is in her fourth year. So, going by what the WNBA legend said, if Clark breaks the all-time scoring record, it will be “legitimate.” Considering this, Clark’s fans came prepared for the highly-anticipated clash between the Hawkeyes and Penn State.
A picture posted on X showed a fan attending the game with a twist. They (and a few others) wore a black T-shirt with their views regarding Swoopes’ controversial statement written on it. It read “Don’t be a Sheryl” in yellow. While the Iowa Hawkeyes guard’s fans were at loggerheads with Swoopes, Angel Reese took what looked like a subtle dig at them. After seeing the “Don’t be a Sheryl” T-shirts, Reese tweeted, “i want to be like @airswoopes22” on Friday.
Considering Sheryl Swoopes is a four-time WNBA champion, a three-time WNBA MVP, and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, there’s no doubt that Angel Reese and many others would want to follow in Swoopes’ footsteps. However, the LSU star’s recent tweet gave fans the impression that she’s ready to take the squabble to the next level. For the unversed, Reese, in the 2023 NCAA season, had a confrontation with Clark during the finals.
The Lady Tigers forward did John Cena’s “you can’t see me” gesture while pointing at her ring finger and looking at Clark, which mimicked Clark’s celebration from earlier in the tournament. The Hawkeyes player’s fans didn’t take it too well. But prominent NBA players like LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal came to Reese’s rescue. And Clark defended Reese as well.
Don’t be a Sheryl. pic.twitter.com/iVXkuxJa5P
— 🐤 Hawkeye Hunz (@HawkeyeHunz) February 9, 2024
However, since then, although Clark and Reese have shown mutual respect, it’s generated an air of intense rivalry that many perceive as animosity. Therefore, Reese’s tweet may have fueled the animosity narrative. While Angel Reese expressed just what she thought of Sheryl Swoopes’ comments, Caitlin Clark hasn’t responded. And it looks like she’s focused on the bigger picture.
What is Caitlin Clark up to?
The Swoopes controversy is keeping Clark’s fans occupied online. But when it comes to their star’s on-court performance, there’s no doubt they’ll be hoping she surpasses Kelsey Plum in the Hawkeyes’ upcoming contest against the Michigan Wolverines on Thursday. In anticipation of Clark’s game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sunday, ticket prices skyrocketed. The guard needed 39 points to break Plum’s record, and considering she’d scored 40 or more on three previous occasions, Sunday could’ve been the night.
However, Clark fell short by eight points, and now, all eyes are on the home game against the Wolverines. She’s averaging 32 points per game this season, so surpassing that 3,527-point barrier is looking increasingly likely as the game gets closer. And it’ll be a historic moment in the NCAA. Just like the Cornhuskers game, ticket prices are on the rise, already having surpassed last week’s average.
t will be interesting to see if Sheryl Swoopes reacts when Caitlin Clark becomes the all-time leading scorer. It would also be an opportune moment for Clark’s fans to put a rest to the dispute. Do you think the Iowa Hawkeyes guard can seal the deal against the Wolverines?
