WNBA Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes leaks screenshots of alleged texts with Caitlin Clark: ‘I made a mistake’

WNBA Corridor of Famer and present Dallas Wings broadcaster Sheryl Swoopes responded to a fan on X who accused her of being “unfair” to Caitlin Clark with screenshots of alleged textual content messages. 

Swoopes’ put up on Monday confirmed three pictures of her messages with a contact named Caitlin Clark that she claims happened on Feb. 5. The primary picture confirmed Swoopes apologizing for an incorrect assertion concerning the size of Clark’s faculty profession earlier this 12 months.

“Hey Caitlin, I wished to personally attain out to you and say I made a mistake on what 12 months that is for you, COVID 12 months has me all confused,” Swoopes wrote. “I additionally don’t have anything however respect for you and your recreation and admire your talent. Congrats on every little thing you’ve got achieved up to now. Be blessed.” 

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The following two messages present Clark thanking Swoopes for reaching out and her contributions to the WNBA, and Swoopes returning one other message that proclaimed appreciation. 

Swoopes’ apology was for an incorrect assertion she issued in an look on the “Gil’s Area,” podcast with former NBA star Gilbert Arenas in February. Swoopes incorrectly mentioned that Clark stayed in faculty for 5 seasons and that she took over 40 photographs per recreation whereas discussing the subject of how Clark broke the NCAA’s all-time basketball factors report her senior 12 months in 2023. 

However Clark performed simply 4 seasons whereas averaging simply 22.7 photographs per recreation en path to the report. She didn’t want a fifth 12 months and even 22.3 photographs per recreation to attain essentially the most factors of any basketball participant, males’s or girls’s, in faculty historical past.

Swoopes, who was the primary participant to be signed within the WNBA with the Houston Commets in 1997, was faraway from her common put up as Dallas Wings colour commentator for the staff’s recreation towards Clark’s Indiana Fever on Sunday. 

Swoopes has fired off a number of responses to posts on X which have referenced her interactions and former statements on Clark since she was eliminated. 

CAITLIN CLARK’S HARSH RECEPTION BY THE WNBA IS ‘GOOD FOR THE GAME,’ ESPN’S HOLLY ROWE SAYS

Outdoors of the inaccurate assertion on Clark’s collegiate profession again in February, Swoopes has made a number of different feedback about Clark which have drawn criticism. 

Swoopes not too long ago praised Chicago Sky participant Diamond DeShields after a recreation through which DeShields fouled Clark to the ground, committing a flagrant 1 foul. It was solely the most recent in a sequence of controversial fouls the Sky dedicated on Clark of their 4 conferences this 12 months. 

Hours after DeShields dedicated the foul, she posted a screenshot of her notifications checklist on Instagram, which included a string of hate feedback from a consumer referencing a spinal twine tumor DeShields overcame in 2020.

Swoopes wrote, “Head up child! Hate is not going to win!! You’re coated and ain’t nothing these evil individuals can do about that. All love for you!” in a put up 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 Courtroom,” Swoopes didn’t identify Clark as a motive for the current enchancment of the Fever. Swoopes solely praised Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull. Nevertheless, Clark has been the staff’s main scorer throughout its win stream, and is already one of many high scorers within the WNBA. 

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith responded to Swoopes’ statements within the episode and mentioned the Corridor of Famer was “insane to do this.” 

“Do you’ve got any thought how that makes you look?” Smith mentioned to Swoopes. 

Swoopes clapped again to Smith as quickly as she may in a response on X. 

“You speak about whomever and no matter you wish to in your podcast. Right? So why can’t I? Additionally, did you take heed to the ENTIRE episode? NOPE! I’ve a private relationship with these gamers they usually deserve recognition as effectively.”

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Throughout Swoopes’ absence from the published sales space on Sunday, Clark put up 28 factors and 12 assists to steer Indiana to its fourth straight win and 6 in its final seven video games. Clark scored the 595th level of her profession, surpassing WNBA legend Tamika Catchings for essentially the most in a single season by a rookie in Fever historical past. She completed with 617 factors as Sunday’s recreation ended.

Clark has appeared to interrupt a landmark report in each recreation she’s performed in not too long ago. 

In Friday’s recreation towards the Sky, Clark had the primary 30-point, 12-assist recreation in WNBA historical past whereas changing into simply the fifth participant, and first rookie, to report not less than 30 factors and 10 assists in a recreation. On high of that, Clark now has 12 double-doubles, which breaks the WNBA report for many double-doubles by a guard in a single season.

Simply three days earlier than that, Clark set the report for many 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 completed with 19 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists as Indiana picked up its fifteenth win.

That very same night time, she additionally turned the primary WNBA participant to have not less than 15 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in six consecutive WNBA video games. It was her tenth straight recreation with not less than 15 factors and 5 rebounds, which put her within the elite membership with Diana Taurasi because the gamers who’ve hit the mark.

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