For the most part, Caitlin Clark’s arrival in the WNBA has been met with praise and excitement. The highly-touted rookie from Des Moines, Iowa, has been making headlines with her scoring and playmaking prowess, transforming the once-awful Indiana Fever into a legitimate playoff contender.

However, one women’s basketball legend has consistently expressed a different opinion about Caitlin, causing a firestorm. Hall of Famer and three-time WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes, who had publicly criticized Clark when she broke the NCAA’s all-time scoring record, recently went silent during a live game broadcast between Las Vegas and Dallas when Caitlin was brought up. In the context of her previous criticism, this silence has sparked controversy.

Her silence spoke volumes regarding her feelings towards the young star, and many have speculated about the reasons behind it. Regardless, this controversy has sparked discussion among fans and analysts alike. Fellow Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman recently went on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” and addressed Swoopes’ actions, recommending she should just laud Caitlin for what she’s done to grow the sport of women’s basketball.

Caitlin’s impact on the game

After Swoopes’ deafening silence on live TV, Lieberman was asked to replace Swoopes on the Fever and the Sky game broadcast. She didn’t hesitate to praise the sensational rookie, describing Caitlin’s talent as “generational”—something that Swoopes intentionally avoided doing.

“I think she created this firestorm, and she could put it out. And you know, it’s like I always tell people—at this stage, your ego is not your amigo. Okay? Your ego is not your friend. We have to humble ourselves and do our job and just recognize that, you know, Caitlin might not be her cup of tea, but she’s not doing anything to hurt Sheryl Swoopes,” Nancy stated.

Lieberman, a 5’10” guard once known as the “Lady Magic,” said Caitlin has never said or done anything to diminish the legacies of the great players who came before her. For this reason, Nancy is baffled as to why Sheryl continues to belittle Caitin.

“She admires Sheryl Swoopes, and the Maya Moores, and the Sue Birds, and the legends that came before her. And I would dare say you can’t find a soundbite this season of Caitlin Clark saying anything derogatory about anybody,” Lieberman stressed, highlighting Caitlin’s humility and respect for the game and its legends.

“For this woman to be maligned—you don’t have to buy the number 22 jersey if you don’t want it. But what you should do is applaud her for helping grow this sport that we have busted our ass for, for the last 50 years,” she added.

Be professional

Smith, a well-respected veteran journalist and broadcaster, gave his two cents, stating that Sheryl should just do her job and continue to be a professional despite whatever she feels for the outstanding rookie guard.

“When you see your personal feelings, whatever they may be, infiltrating the proceedings and compromising your position as a professional… but I think, in the case of Sheryl Swoopes—and I’m not going to belabor this point, but it’s important to be made—Sheryl Swoopes is a winner. She was great, and she’s a phenomenal basketball mind,” Stephen A. said.

“What she’s not realizing is that when she doesn’t state the obvious, it’s automatically going to be assumed that it’s something personal because we know she knows the game of basketball too well to ignore the kind of things that she’s ignoring when it comes to Caitlin Clark,” he continued.

Caitlin has been the talk of women’s basketball since her record-shattering performances during her senior season with Iowa. And with her ever-improving play, she’ll likely continue to garner more headlines and praise in the years to come.