The ongoing debate between Caitlin Clark’s supporters and WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes has become an intriguing storyline over the past few months. Swoopes, one of the most decorated players in women’s basketball history, has been a consistent critic of Clark, despite acknowledging that her criticism isn’t personal. Nevertheless, Swoopes often appears to downplay Clark’s accomplishments, much to the frustration of her fans.
In a recent episode of Gilbert Arenas’ podcast, Swoopes weighed in on Clark’s impressive rookie season stats. At the time, Clark was averaging 19.5 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Swoopes admitted that these were strong numbers but didn’t see them as extraordinary.
“Those are hell of a numbers,” Swoopes said. “But to me, that’s not dominating.”
This opinion, however, sparked controversy. Many basketball fans and analysts were quick to defend Clark, who had set numerous records in her debut season. And it wasn’t just Clark’s supporters who disagreed with Swoopes. One NBA player also took a public stand.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray chimed in on the discussion, showing his support for Clark and taking a playful jab at Swoopes. In a recent Bleacher Report Instagram post highlighting Clark’s record-setting rookie season, Murray expressed his disbelief at Swoopes’ critique.
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“‘She’s not DOMINATING’????????????????????????????,” Murray wrote in the comments, making it clear that he found Swoopes’ remarks laughable.
Clark’s rookie season with the Indiana Fever has been nothing short of historic. She set a single-season WNBA record for assists, became the first rookie in league history to record a triple-double, and led the league in both assists and three-pointers made. She also broke the record for the most points scored by a point guard in a single season. These achievements are only a fraction of the numerous records she now holds, and they solidify her place as one of the league’s rising stars.
If these accomplishments don’t qualify as “dominating,” many wonder what could. While Swoopes may have her own criteria for what constitutes dominance, it’s clear that Clark’s career is off to an extraordinary start.
As Clark prepares to make her WNBA playoff debut, she’s earned the respect of fans and players alike.
The Indiana Fever will face the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, and all eyes will be on Clark as she aims to continue her record-breaking journey in the postseason.
