It’s no secret that WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes is vocal about her opinions, and that was especially evident last season—particularly during the ongoing Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark debate. The two rookies were constantly compared, and Swoopes frequently weighed in.
However, her commentary often appeared one-sided, as she consistently defended Reese. Her repeated criticisms of Clark and the Indiana Fever led many fans to label her a “hater,” and the backlash grew so intense that she was removed from broadcasting a Fever vs. Dallas Wings game last season while Clark was playing.
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Although Swoopes has somewhat toned things down since then, she stirred things up again on Wednesday. With the WNBA preseason less than two weeks away, she took to social media—posting a video of Serena Williams dancing at the Super Bowl as a subtle jab at her “haters,” which drew several reactions from Clark fans.
“I love my fans!!! Yall make it a great day!!!,” Swoops posted. “Remember haters gonna hate! Go be great!”
Fans reacted to Swoopes posted with mixed emotions:
“You were such a great player. Would have been cool if you were a great analyst & commentator as well, but it didn’t work out. It happens!” A fan said.
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“As a parent to 20 and 14 years old I can proudly say this you should be ashamed of yourself. You might have been best basketball player, but I have never seen grown women being so pathetic to 22 years old . Ur never role model. It’s not too late to change,” Another fan posted.
“All you did was hate on Caitlin Clark you bring the hate on yourself,” Someone else added.
One more fan commented, “Look in the mirror lady! You’re the one hating on CC the first day she came in the seen. You never gave her her chance just because she’s not black. So stop with that. Trying to come back to make yourself relevant again. You made yourself irrelevant. So pathetic!”
San Francisco mayor London Breed (left) chats with basketball great Sheryl Swoopes following a press conference to announce an expansion WNBA franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area at Chase Center.D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
Clark and Reese were undoubtedly the two standout rookies last season. However, it was Clark who ultimately claimed Rookie of the Year honors by a wide margin, led her team to the postseason, and earned a WNBA All-Star selection.
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The two rising stars are set to face off in a highly anticipated season opener on May 17, when the Chicago Sky travel to Indiana to take on the Fever.
Related: Caitlin Clark’s Immediate Gesture Toward Lexie Hull After Big Announcement Grabs Attention
