Stephen A. Smith Calls Sheryl Swoopes 'Insane' For Caitlin Clark Shade
WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes has made it clear that she's not a Caitlin Clark fan.
Swoopes has gone viral multiple times for either discrediting the Indiana Fever rookie sensation's achievements, picking Angel Reese over her in the WNBA Rookie of the Year conversation, and most recently speaking out about Indiana's recent run of success — praising multiple Fever players in the process — without ever referencing Clark.
This most recent instance of Swoopes' shade irked sports media personality Stephen A. Smith enough for him to take a direct shot at her during a recent episode of "The Stephen A. Smith Show".
"There seems to be some 'Haterade' in the league in regards to Clark starting with WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes herself," Smith said.
He then referenced the recent podcast episode where Swoopes gushed about Indiana while completely ignoring Clark.
"I think the Olympic break really helped Indiana," Swoopes said. "I'm going to shout out Lexie Hull. I'm a big Lexie Hull fan. Lexie Hull shot the leather off the ball in their game against Seattle. Kelsey Mitchell is just stroking; she is just shooting the basketball. Aliyah Boston, almost a triple-double... If Indiana continues to play the way they're playing, like this, they too are going to move up in the standings."
So it looks like a podcast, promoted by the WNBA, and hosted by Sheryl Swoopes, has decided that when talking about the Indiana Fever coming out the break, WE WILL MENTION EVERYONE BUT CAITLIN CLARK NOW?!?
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) August 20, 2024
You MUST listen to this and POST COMMENTS BELOW!!! @WNBA @elleduncanESPN… pic.twitter.com/uuVG5BelG2
"So no Caitlin Clark?" Smith said after reading Swoopes' comments. "Sheryl Swoopes... no Caitlin Clark? Respectfully, Sheryl Swoopes, do you have any idea how that makes you look? Do you have any idea how that serves to stain any kind of critique of Caitlin Clark because that gives fodder to those who believe she's being hated on and ostracized to some degree?
"Do you realize that, Sheryl Swoopes, you're insane to do that?" Smith continued.
"Let me tell you why you're insane to do that. Because, Sheryl Swoopes, you're one of the greatest players ever. In the history of basketball. That's why... There is no way in hell you just accidentally left Caitlin Clark's name out of that soliloquy that you just dropped about the Indiana Fever. Stop it! You know that. Stop it!" he said.
Stephen A. Smith CALLS OUT Sheryl Swoopes as well as other media on their reporting of Caitlin Clark. #wnba #FeverRising #caitlinclark pic.twitter.com/Cyb0SotXvv
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) August 23, 2024
Major props to Smith for calling out Swoopes' lunacy while also paying homage to her basketball legacy.
Swoopes will likely muster a response to Smith's comments soon.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.