Let's give Sheryl Swoopes a break about Caitlin Clark after the latest non-controversy

Over the past few years, the dynamic between WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes and rising star Caitlin Clark has been under the spotlight, often for the wrong reasons. Despite Swoopes’ professional demeanor and her public support for Clark, there has been a persistent narrative suggesting that the Hall of Famer isn’t particularly fond of the Indiana Fever rookie guard. This perception, which began during Clark’s standout college career at Iowa, has continued to gain traction, even though Swoopes has made efforts to clarify her position.

The latest incident that reignited this discussion occurred during a recent broadcast of a WNBA game between the Las Vegas Aces and the Dallas Wings. Swoopes, who was part of the commentary team alongside Ron Thulin, found herself at the center of controversy once again. During the broadcast, Thulin mentioned that both Caitlin Clark and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier had been named WNBA Players of the Week. Notably, Swoopes remained silent during this segment and did not comment on either player’s achievement before the broadcast transitioned back to discussing the ongoing game.

This silence was quickly noticed by viewers and led to renewed criticism of Swoopes. Some speculated that her lack of commentary was a deliberate snub of Clark, further fueling the narrative that Swoopes harbors some sort of bias against the young star. The incident even drew the attention of prominent media personalities, including ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who publicly criticized Swoopes for what he perceived as unprofessional behavior.

However, this interpretation of events seems to be more assumption than reality. While Swoopes’ silence did leave room for speculation, jumping to conclusions about her intentions might be an overreach. It’s important to remember that Swoopes has previously expressed her excitement about Clark’s debut in the WNBA and has conducted interviews with Clark in a professional manner. Additionally, Swoopes has apologized for earlier comments that inaccurately represented Clark’s college scoring records, demonstrating her willingness to set the record straight.

Following the broadcast, Swoopes took to social media to address the backlash. She shared a comment from a fan who speculated that her silence might have been an effort to avoid any potential backlash from fans, no matter what she said about Clark. This reasoning seems plausible, especially considering the scrutiny Swoopes has faced in the past whenever she has commented on Clark. The WNBA legend also mentioned that it’s not Clark herself that bothers her, but rather the negative and often hostile comments she receives from some fans whenever the topic arises.

This latest incident seems to highlight a broader issue within sports commentary—how easily assumptions can be made based on limited information. The criticism directed at Swoopes appears to be more about the perception of bias rather than any concrete evidence of ill will. Given the circumstances, it’s entirely possible that Swoopes chose to remain silent during the broadcast to avoid adding fuel to the fire and to prevent any of her remarks from being misconstrued.

Ultimately, this situation should serve as a reminder that sometimes silence is not an indication of disapproval or bias. Instead of continuing to scrutinize every word or lack thereof, it might be time to take Swoopes at her word when she says she respects Clark’s game. The focus should be on celebrating the achievements of WNBA players like Clark, rather than manufacturing controversies that distract from the sport.

In the end, it’s clear that the real issue isn’t between Swoopes and Clark but rather the noise coming from critics eager to create drama where none exists. As the WNBA season progresses, it would be better to focus on the players’ on-court accomplishments rather than off-court controversies that hold little substance.