How bad does a take have to be for Stephen A. Smith of all people to call it “insane”? Turns out – Sheryl-Swoopes-bad.
The Indiana Fever returned from the Olympic break, already playing well over .500 in their past 15 games, and promptly disposed of two teams with winning records in the Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm.
Indiana ran through both clubs fairly easily, by 9- and 17-point margins.
Swoopes found a number of reasons for their performance, not one of which included likely Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark.
“I think the Olympic break really helped Indiana,” Swoopes said. “I’m going to shout out to 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,” she continued. “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
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Sheryl Swoopes Ignores Caitlin Clark
This is just an incredible assessment. If you want to go ahead and put a spotlight on role players, that’s fine. But feel free to mix in an ‘and it goes without saying, Caitlin Clark has been lights out too’ or something to that effect.
Let’s take a look at the players she highlights and their total contributions in those two games after the Olympic break:
- Aliyah Boston – 23 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists.
- Lexie Hull – 28 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists.
- Kelsey Mitchell – 51 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists.
All solid, solid contributions. No, I’d say they’ve been playing pretty amazing basketball since the break, and Aliyah Boston is absolutely a hooper. Not going to knock them in any way, shape, or form. But here’s what Caitlin Clark put up in total in those two games.
52 points, 10 rebounds, 19 assists.
From the aspect of overall contributions, nobody has been a part of Indiana’s success more than Clark.
What’s even funnier is that within minutes of glossing over Caitlin’s performance, Sheryl Swoopes analyzes the Chicago Sky play since the break, and despite their atrocious performance since coming back, lavishes praise on Angel Reese for her play.
How do you ignore Clark and then praise Reese in some blowout losses?
Gets Ripped By Stephen A
Even Stephen A. Smith thought Sheryl Swoopes’ comments ignoring Caitlin Clark were next-level ridiculous. But probably not for the reason you’d expect.
“So, no Caitlin Clark? Sheryl Swoopes, no Caitlin Clark?” Smith openly wondered. “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 it gives fodder to those who believe she’s being hated and ostracized to some degree. Do you realize, Sheryl Swoopes, you’re insane to do that?”
Did you catch that? It’s not that Swoopes was insane for being a basketball analyst who can’t analyze basketball very well. It’s because Clark’s rabid fans are going to perceive it as a sleight.
Swoopes has a bit of a history with dissing Caitlin in the past.
Swoopes tried to downplay Clark’s all-time NCAA scoring record by claiming the Iowa star needed a fifth season to top Kelsey Plum.
That was, in a word, false. In fact, Clark could have played a fifth year of eligibility but instead declared for the WNBA draft.
At some point, maybe Sheryl Swoopes will get a hang of this whole basketball analyst thing. It won’t be any time soon.
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