WNBA Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes is no stranger to speaking her mind, but her latest appearance on Gilbert Arenas‘ “Gil’s Arena” show has stirred up another round of controversy-this time, not for her words, but her wardrobe. During a recent episode of the show, Swoopes was seen sporting a shirt featuring Paige Bueckers, the UConn star and No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
While some might have viewed it as a show of support for one of the league’s newest faces, Caitlin Clark fans weren’t buying it.
Clark‘s devoted following-already sensitive to what they see as a pattern of dismissiveness from Swoopes – interpreted the Bueckers shirt as yet another dig at the Indiana Fever rookie. The backlash came quickly and loudly across social media, where fans didn’t hold back.
“WHAT A SORRY HUMAN BEING IT TAKES THE SAME IF NOT LESS ENERGY AND EFFORT TO BE JUST NICE AND LESS HATEFUL…,” one fan wrote in response to Swoopes’ appearance.
Another added: “Sheryl is petty AF. But who cares, she always was. No one takes her seriously.”
A long-simmering feud
This isn’t the first time Swoopes has found herself at odds with Clark‘s fanbase. Throughout Clark’s meteoric rise-from her historic scoring records at Iowa to becoming the most-hyped rookie in WNBA history – Swoopes has been one of the few former players to voice skepticism about the hype, particularly around Clark’s defensive game and how her collegiate success would translate at the professional level.
Though many within the basketball world appreciated Swoopes‘ honest analysis, Clark’s fans have often taken her critiques personally, framing them as unfair or even rooted in animosity.
So when Swoopes showed up wearing a shirt honoring Paige Bueckers-Clark’s longtime rival dating back to their high school days-it didn’t go unnoticed.
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