One of Caitlin Clark’s biggest critics finally gave in and praised the Indiana Fever star after her sensational debut season in professional basketball, during which she silenced the haters to become WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Sheryl Swoopes, a four-time champion and three-time MVP, criticized the 22-year-old through her record-breaking NCAA season before going on to claim that she wouldn’t dominate the professional scene and was in for a shock, but now she admits her error.
“I just thought what Caitlin was able to do coming into the league this season…,” Swoopes told the Queens of the Court podcast. “She was just crazy.
“Just shooting the basketball, [and] her ability to put the ball where it needs to be when it needed to be there.”
Clark reveals motivation behind playmaking
Clark posted 19.2 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and 8.4 assists per game throughout 2024 as she speared the Fever onto the WNBA postseason, where they were unfortunately defeated by the Connecticut Sun over two games.
She claimed the WNBA Rookie of the Year award with 66 out of 67 votes, with one person voting for Angel Reese, and also took the records for single-season assists, single-game assists, single-season points by a point guard and become the first rookie to score at least 450 points and 200 assists.
She is also the first player in WNBA and NBA history to record 25 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, five steals and five blocks, highlighting her supreme talent that puts her in the same class as LeBron James, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.
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As is made apparent by the records, she is also an exceptional team player and isn’t selfish enough to try to take all of the points herself and Clark explained why this is her mentality on the court.
“I just try to set my teammates up for success,” Clark told media. “Like my eyes are just always on our post-players.”
