Imagine shattering all-time WNBA records, but then one person decides to play party popper over your success. Such was the case of Caitlin Clark’s rookie year. The No. 1 overall pick for the Fever took the team to its first playoff appearance in 8 years and single-handedly helped WNBA’s viewership skyrocket. But instead of getting unanimously voted Rookie of the Year, 1 of the 67 voters chose Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, as their top pick. And suddenly, all eyes turned to Sheryl Swoopes, Clark’s most vocal critic.

Swoopes’s reputation took quite a hit this year. The three-time WNBA champ is out-and-out biased against Clark but all for Angel Reese. While Reese had an exemplary season with a record 15 consecutive double-doubles and 446 rebounds, Clark’s supreme athleticism, playmaking IQ, and consistent scoring (769 points – a new rookie record), the rookie 3-point record, and the league single-season assists record (to name a few) reigned supreme.

It hasn’t been long, or even a month, since Swoopes even discarded stats to go out of the way to say: “Those are hell of a numbers. But to me, that’s not dominating.” So, when the 22-year-old was denied the unanimous ROTY award, fans destroyed Sheryl Swoopes on social media, assuming she was the spoilsport. Three days after that online wave, the 2016 Hall of Famer has finally broken silence on the matter.

“Before I make a comment, I do need to clarify some things. People [pausing for effect] people [pausing for effect], PSA [pausing for effect]! I do not get a vote. I do not vote for awards, any awards!” she told host Jordan Robinson on the Queens of the Court podcast, emphasizing, “MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, nothing!

“And I’m only stating this because it was brought to my attention ’cause I too, like you, tried to take a break from social media. But there’s a part of me saying like, ‘Alright, let me go and see what I did today.’ And someone texted me, and said, ‘Girl, you are trending on Twitter.’

Turns out she was trending on Twitter for all the wrong reasons! For the unversed, the voters are a fraternity consisting of two local journalists from each WNBA market and a group of national WNBA writers, reporters, and broadcasters. This season, 24 local market voters and 43 national voters. Although the WNBA does not release the name or decision of the voters, one can be fairly certain that Swoopes had nothing to do with it. If facts are anything to go by, she doesn’t fall into the categories that qualify for voting, and her IG account lists her as a go-to Cameo star for fans looking to celebrate special occasions and get some inspirational words, and additionally, a link that will take you to a 2023 event when Swoopes partnered with Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods in New York at Basketball City.

“And I said, ‘I don’t know for what this time because I haven’t been on Twitter.’ And apparently, everyone thinks I’m that one person who voted for Angel for Rookie of the Year. ”

Maybe if Reese remained uninjured, there would’ve been a closer battle for Rookie of the Year. Though the wrath of fans was unjustified in this case, Swoopes’ history of commenting on Clark didn’t help her. Moreover, her attempts at ending this nasty season-long storyline didn’t help either.

Ahead of Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut, more than a handful of experts cautioned her. They believed she wouldn’t be able to sustain her record-breaking Iowa run in the WNBA and adapt to the league’s physicality. But 769 points, 337 assists, and 227 rebounds later, her critics were more silent than ever. But because Swoopes had the most anti-Clark stances in the beginning, the storyline continued.

“I think I know why they do it,” Swoopes said about the drama surrounding them in the media. “Because it’s like anytime you say Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, people are like ‘Oh my goodness! They don’t like each other. So let’s see what this is about.’ So when you say Sheryl Swoops, Caitlin Clark, it’s like ‘Oh my goodness! Sheryl doesn’t like her, so let’s see what this is about.’ And like all of that’s stupid to me. It’s not true, it’s all stupid.”

Fortunately for Swoopes, the offseason should bring some relief to her. But when both Reese and Clark return for their Year 2, it’s going to be game on. The Indiana Fever will aim to one-up their 2024 results by vying for their first championship win since 2012, and Reese will hope she can script another historic year to aid Chicago Sky to the top step, a feat they last achieved in 2021.