WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes had an attention-grabbing response to Caitlin Clark’s Time Athlete of the 12 months interview, during which the Fever star stated she is conscious of her white privilege and she or he needs to make use of her platform to uplift Black gamers.
Throughout Tuesday’s installment of the “Gil’s Arena” podcast, Swoopes was speechless and she or he shrugged her shoulders when co-host Josiah Johnson talked about that Clark stated the league was largely constructed on the shoulders of Black gamers — comparable to Swoopes, one of many authentic gamers signed to the WNBA when league launched in 1996.
“Your thoughts on Caitlin Clark saying she wants to use her platform to elevate Black women in the WNBA that have obviously been instrumental in building that league to what it is?” Johnson requested.
Swoopes, who has been in the course of — and generally the supply of — lots of Clark’s controversies, nodded her head throughout a clumsy silence.
Somebody who was not captured on digital camera was heard laughing earlier than Johnson stated, “OK.”
Swoopes started speaking once more once they moved on to a different subject.
She defined that she wasn’t stunned Clark — the No. 1 decide on this yr’s WNBA draft, who was named to the All-Star group and gained the Rookie of the 12 months — was named the Time Athlete of the 12 months.
“I don’t think I’m surprised. I’m curious to know who the other candidates were, but the fact that that’s the very first WNBA player to ever win Time magazine Athlete of the Year, it’s pretty special,” Swoopes stated.
“And my question is like, the criteria, is it based off her performance on the court? Yeah, she has a great year. Or was is it more about the impact that she had on the game this season?… I think it’s great — not just for her — I think it’s great for the league. Everybody talked about recognition that she brought to the W this season, so for her to be Time magazine Athlete of the Year, I think it’s really great for the league.”
Swoopes, a three-time MVP, gained 4 straight championships as a member of the Houston Comets from 1997-2000. She additionally gained three Olympics gold medals with USA Basketball.
Clark, in her interview, instructed Time, “I need to say I’ve earned each single factor, however as a white particular person, there’s privilege. A whole lot of these gamers within the league which were actually good have been Black gamers. This league has form of been constructed on them.
“The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.”
Clark, 22, doubled down on her feedback whereas on stage at a Time dinner in New York Metropolis at Present in Chelsea Piers on Wednesday.
The WNBA star defined that she’s good at “blocking things out” when she was requested about Megyn Kelly’s criticism over her feedback about white privilege.
Earlier this yr, Swoopes confronted backlash for earlier feedback she made about Clark when she questioned the legitimacy of Clark’s all-time scoring document at Iowa and falsely claimed she had a fifth yr to interrupt it throughout a separate episode of the “Gil’s Arena” podcast.
Swoopes beforehand denied that she has something in opposition to Clark, and has complimented her sport.
The WNBA legend additionally stated Clark followers have acted evil towards her.
