Tag: Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes thinks Caitlin Clark’s decision to turn pro is terrific for the WNBA and basketball fans

Sheryl Swoopes shared glowing thoughts on Caitlin Clark’s decision to enter the WNBA.

Basketball fans are thrilled with the news Caitlin Clark is going to the WNBA. Clark’s news even caught the attention of WNBA great Sheryl Swoopes, who also expressed her excitement Thursday during season-opening Athletes Unlimited games.

Sheryl Swoopes’ name has been flying through news cycles since she made comments weeks ago surrounding Caitlin Clark’s journey to the WNBA and breaking Kelsey Plum’s scoring records. Her comments had several inaccuracies in them and that caused an uproar with fans. Swoopes has since apologized, and on a recent Athletes Unlimited broadcast, she took the time to recognize Caitlin for making the decision to join the WNBA.

Here’s what Swoopes shared with viewers:

“I don’t know who’s more relieved, Caitlin or her fans (or the WNBA), but I mean, great news for the league, great news for women’s basketball. Best of luck. It’s going to be an exciting time wherever she ends up going…

It is not just good for women’s college basketball. It is, to your point, good for women’s basketball in general. And Caitlin has had that effect on the game.”

Video courtesy of Athletes Unlimited.

Sheryl Swoopes reveals that she apologized to Caitlin Clark over her inaccurate scoring record comments

“I made a mistake.”

Caitlin Clark and Sheryl Swoopes may be on better terms after the WNBA legend recently revealed that she apologized to the Iowa star over previous comments she made regarding Clark breaking the NCAA scoring record.

It’s been a whirlwind month regarding the alleged beef between Sheryl Swoopes and Caitlin Clark. Fans have been in a frenzy since Swoopes said that she didn’t think Angel Reese or Caitlin Clark would make an immediate impact in the WNBA and implied that Clark’s previous pace to break Kelsey Plum’s NCAA scoring record was seemingly unimpressive. Those comments ignited hoops fans and even led to the team’s social media account getting involved. Then, things quickly escalated to “Don’t Be a Sheryl” and “Be a Sheryl” shirts flooding the internet. It was A LOT.

However, per Chantel Jennings of The Athletic, Swoopes recently revealed during a Baylor-Texas Tech broadcast that she had a conversation with Angel Reese via phone, and she also reached out to Clark to clear the air.

Here’s what she said:

“I won’t share what she said, I’ll leave that to her if she wants to share. But I will say, what I said to her was, ‘I made a mistake in saying it was your fifth year when it is your fourth.’ I have nothing but respect for what she has done for the game. If she wants to share what her response was and how that conversation went, I’ll leave that to her. But it was a really good conversation.”

Everything we know about the alleged beef between Caitlin Clark and Sheryl Swoopes

Catching up on why Sheryl Swoopes and Caitlin Clark have basketball fans heated.

The Sheryl Swoopes and Caitlin Clark discourse is escalating quickly, and the conversation is now reaching new depths.

Swoopes made headlines for recent comments on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese transitioning to the WNBA and Clark’s quest to break Kelsey Plum’s scoring record. Since that moment, the internet has been in shambles, and conversations in numerous hoops circles reached clothing, including “Don’t be a Sheryl” shirts.

The supposed beef has created additional tension among basketball fans, prompting the question: How did we get here?

Here’s everything we know about the swirling chaos surrounding Caitlin Clark and Sheryl Swoopes:

Iowa fans trolled Sheryl Swoopes over her recent Caitlin Clark comments with custom shirts and women’s hoops fans ripped them for it

“Don’t be a Sheryl.”

The Sheryl Swoopes and Caitlin Clark drama is not going away anytime soon. Iowa women’s basketball fans have made shirts aimed at Swoopes and other hoops fans had a lot of thoughts.

Sheryl Swoopes is a Hall of Fame WNBA player. She’s accomplished so much in her career (four WNBA championships, three MVP Awards and six All-Star selections, among other accolades) that she’s considered one of the best to ever do it. Understandably, her thoughts on the game are very different than most people.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

So, it wasn’t entirely shocking to hear her say she didn’t think Angel Reese or Caitlin Clark would have an immediate impact in the WNBA or that she wasn’t that impressed with Clark’s current pace to break Kelsey Plum’s scoring record. Of course, word travels fast, and the Iowa women’s basketball social media team was quick to correct some of Swoopes’ thoughts because they were based on inaccurate information.

However, things did not end there. Some Iowa fans were recently spotted in some custom shirts that targeted Swoopes.

The shirts say, “Don’t be a Sheryl,” and women’s basketball fans immediately ripped the Iowa fans responsible for them.

Q&A: Atlanta Dream guard Haley Jones tried to build a WNBA Mt. Rushmore and it was so hard

“I’m stressed out over here! I’m getting a new pimple!”

Haley Jones is just a California girl with Atlanta dreams. Yet, her vision for her career extends beyond the court and into girls’ lives everywhere.

During her college career at Stanford, Jones was an AP All-American and Pac-12 Co-Player of the Year and also won a national championship. In 2023, she was drafted by the Atlanta Dream, where she thrived and walked away with WNBA All-Rookie Team honors. Now, she’s hoping to build upon her success and share her passion for basketball with other young players.

In celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the WNBA and VOICEINSPORT (VIS) are partnering with the WNBA Changemaker Collective to engage and unlock services to over 50,000 girls via VIS’s platform. Jones and 11 other WNBA players have signed on to become VIS mentors, something she says she wished she had as a young athlete.

“It would have meant a lot because the W was very young when I was growing up, and social media wasn’t as big back then,” she told For The Win in a recent interview. “So, I didn’t have those role models, and I feel like nowadays, kids can connect to us through Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, whatever it may be. It would have meant the world to have that one-on-one connection or feel like you really know your favorite athletes and people who look like you.”

Ahead of the 2024 WNBA season, Jones spoke with For the Win about what she would have changed from her first season in the league, why having new teammate Jordin Canada guard her was annoying, and why it stresses her out to pick just four players to be on her WNBA Mount Rushmore of greats.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Iowa women’s basketball seemingly subtweets Sheryl Swoopes over her inaccurate claims about Caitlin Clark

The Iowa women’s basketball social media team came with the Caitlin Clark receipts.

The Iowa Hawkeyes Women’s Basketball social media team rightfully pays attention to what’s being said about Caitlin Clark. So, when WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes recently shared her thoughts about Caitlin Clark’s future in the WNBA and her current college career, it got back to the team.

Sheryl Swoopes has hoops circles in a frenzy after she recently appeared on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast. During the episode, Arenas and Swoopes got into a deeper conversation about current college basketball stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark and whether their games would translate to the WNBA.

Swoopes wasn’t convinced that either would have an immediate impact in the league — which raised some eyebrows — but it’s her further assessment of Clark’s current quest to break Kelsey Plum’s scoring record that turned the whole conversation upside down.

In a clip making rounds through social media, Swoopes can be seen explaining why she’s not as impressed with Clark’s journey:

“Kelsey Plum set that record in four years. Well, Caitlin should’ve broke that record in four years. But because there’s a COVID year, and then there’s another year, and – you know what I mean? She’s already had an extra year to break that record. So, is it truly a broken record? I don’t know. I don’t think so. But yeah, that’ll go in the record books… And, I don’t think it should be.”

While Swoopes is entitled to her thoughts, many noticed that some were based on inaccurate information.  The Iowa women’s basketball social media team found out, and they seemingly dropped a tweet aimed at Swoopes and anyone else with a misconception about Clark.

Sheryl Swoopes thinks Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are tremendous, but won’t immediately dominate in the WNBA

Sheryl Swoopes says Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are phenomenal, but won’t have immediate impact in the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are magical, but WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes has reservations about what life will be like early on in their pro careers.

Swoopes, considered WNBA royalty, is a four-time WNBA champion, a three-time MVP, and a six-time WNBA All-Star, to name a few. When you’ve hooped that much in your career, you likely watch a lot of ball off the court, including up-and-coming hoopers like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Swoopes was asked about both players during a recent appearance on Gil’s Arena with former NBA player Gilbert Arenas. In a clip posted to social media, she can be seen giving her thoughts on Angel Reese before sharing what she thought about Caitlin Clark. Her comments about Reese didn’t appear to ruffle many feathers, but her thoughts on Clark have hoops fans buzzing.

Fans on social media had strong feelings about Swoopes’ analysis. Those feelings turned into backlash, forcing Swoopes to make a statement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2yD6O1trii/?igsh=MTIzeGF6eGQ5dGZyMg==

Here’s the thing: Swoopes is not wrong for her thoughts. They’re her thoughts.

But people quickly forget that Kelsey Plum issued a warning in December 2023 when the hype started building about Clark breaking her scoring record this season. Her words were about having compassion for Clark and not forgetting there is a person behind that record. Plum also warned that the transition to the pros can be challenging. That’s what Swoopes is alluding to with her comments.

Clark is fantastic, but the WNBA is undoubtedly tougher. The talent and stakes are much higher, and Clark will have to be a much more efficient shooter and have crisper defense. If she can hone in on those things, she might have a Rookie of the Year award with her name on it.

Four WNBA MVPs star in documentary debuting January 2024

The documentary spotlights the lives, resiliency and triumphant achievements of the WNBA’s most iconic players.

New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones, Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart and Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes star in a documentary that takes you on a journey into the heart of professional women’s basketball.

The documentary spotlights the lives, resiliency and triumphant achievements of the WNBA’s most iconic players and is the first to feature four WNBA MVP players.

“SHATTERED GLASS: A WNBPA Story is more than a documentary – it’s a movement,” states executive producer Terri Carmichael Jackson. “We’re bringing to light the incredible stories of these athletes, who are not just sports icons but powerful advocates for change, respect, and inspiration – something that all women can relate to and feel empowered by.

“From intense off-season routines to the intricacies of family dynamics to navigating the politics of women’s sports, this documentary offers viewers a rare, all-encompassing look at the athletes as holistic individuals.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1AAH-LL30Z/

“SHATTERED GLASS: A WNBPA Story is a transcendent documentary that uniquely captures the power and spirit of female athletes,” said Anjali Sud, Chief Executive Officer at Tubi. “Tubi is proud to collaborate with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association as part of our commitment to uplifting bold and inspiring voices for young and diverse audiences.”

The documentary debuts on Jan. 31, 2024, exclusively on Tubi.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650261897]

WNBPA’s new documentary with PUMA features the stories of 4 MVPs including Breanna Stewart and Sheryl Swoopes

SHATTERED GLASS: A WNBPA Story gives viewers an inside look at the power and spirit of the WNBA’s stars and icons.

The WNBPA knows that women’s sports is a whole vibe and movement. A new documentary aims to tell more stories about the phenomenal athletes that the league has produced.

The documentary, created from a partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), Malka Media Group and PUMA, is named SHATTERED GLASS: A WNBPA Story. It dives into the soul of professional women’s basketball with a mission to spotlight the lives and achievements of four different players.

Those players include athletes who have all won MVP trophies: New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones, Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, 2023 MVP and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart and three-time MVP winner and Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes.

“We’re bringing to light the incredible stories of these athletes, who are not just sports icons but powerful advocates for change, respect and inspiration – something that all women can relate to and feel empowered by,” said executive producer Terri Carmichael Jackson.

SHATTERED GLASS premieres January 31, 2024, exclusively on Tubi.

The complete list of every WNBA player with a signature shoe deal

There are only 12 players that have had a signature shoe in WNBA history.

Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson is dominating in the WNBA Finals, but even her unprecedented domination hasn’t garnered her a signature shoe deal. In fact, despite the record-breaking performances and overwhelming increase in viewership, there have only ever been 12 players with their own signature shoes bearing their names.

The WNBA is finishing up its 27th season, which means, on average, there have been .44 shoe deals per season. While the number has been rapidly picking up with three new deals in the past few seasons, shoe deals are not keeping pace with the growth of the WNBA.

The first shoe deal in WNBA history was the Nike Air Swoopes, named after legendary player Sheryl Swoopes. She was the first player to receive her own signature shoe, with the first model coming out in 1995.

The most recent player with a signature shoe? New York Liberty sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu, which launched in February 2023. Currently, there are three players in the WNBA Finals with a signature shoe deal, including New York’s Breanna Stewart and Ionescu and Aces forward-center Candace Parker.

See the complete list of every WNBA player with a signature shoe deal: