In a surprising turn of events, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes has been removed from her broadcasting duties following controversial comments aimed at rising star Caitlin Clark. Swoopes, who has been vocal about her disapproval of Clark’s meteoric rise in the WNBA, found herself in hot water after a series of critical remarks and tweets. ESPN, the network covering the WNBA, made the decision to remove her from the broadcast of a highly anticipated game between the Indiana Fever and the Dallas Wings.

The tipping point came when Swoopes defended Diamond DeShields, who recently faced backlash for a rough play against Clark in a key matchup. DeShields’ aggressive move was widely criticized as unsportsmanlike, but Swoopes took to Twitter to support DeShields, tweeting, “Head up, kid, hate will not win, you are covered.” This tweet, combined with her ongoing criticism of Clark, led to an outcry from WNBA fans and analysts alike.

Stephen A. Smith, known for his fiery commentary, was quick to call out Swoopes for her apparent bias against Clark. On his ESPN show, Smith exploded in defense of the young star, stating, “No, no, no, no, no, Cheryl Swoopes, do you have any idea how this makes you look? Do you understand how this stains your legacy? Caitlin Clark is a phenomenon in women’s basketball, and your criticism reeks of jealousy.”
Swoopes’ history of criticizing Clark dates back to Clark’s college days, where she openly questioned whether Clark’s skills would translate to the WNBA. Despite these doubts, Clark has consistently proved her detractors wrong, breaking records and drawing unprecedented attention to the league. Currently, Clark leads the WNBA in both attendance and TV viewership, cementing her place as one of the league’s most influential players.

However, Swoopes has doubled down on her criticism, recently making inaccurate claims about Clark’s shooting stats and age. She falsely stated that Clark is 25 years old and takes 40 shots per game-when in reality, Clark is only 22 and averages closer to 19 shots per game. These factual errors, combined with Swoopes’ dismissive tone, have led many to believe that her critiques are fueled by personal bias rather than objective analysis.