College hoops world roasts WNBA legend after controversial opinion on Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark's pro careers: "Sheryl Swoopes in shambles rn"

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes found herself in trouble with college basketball fans for her comments about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese's pro futures when they finally stepped up.

The comments were made on a recent episode of the "Gil's Arena" podcast.

"I think Angel will eventually be a good pro," Swoopes said. "I don't think Angel will come into the league immediately and dominate the way people think she will. And I say that for people who have never watched a WNBA game. It's good. There's talent—like these women can play. And because there are very few roster spots. It's a real job.

"So, will Caitlin Clark be a good pro? Absolutely. Will Caitlin Clark come into the WNBA and do what she's doing right now immediately? Absolutely not."

After the Iowa Hawkeyes' 93-85 win against the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, where Clark registered 38 points, six rebounds and 12 assists, college basketball fans revisited Swoope's comments. They roasted the Naismith Hall of Famer on various social media platforms.

"Sheryl Swoopes in shambles rn," a fan posted on Instagram.

Image via Instagram

Two legends' different take on Caitlin Clark

Speaking to ESPN on Friday, the record holder of most points scored in women's college basketball, Kelsey Plum, shared her thoughts on Caitlin Clark possibly breaking the record.

“I’m actually very grateful to pass that baton,” Plum said. “I’m very happy for her.”

“I remember, to be honest, [the record] was very much a low point in my life,” Plum said. “It felt like a lot of pressure, and my identity was kind of caught up in that record. I hope everyone in the media takes time to understand that [Clark] is not just a basketball player but a young woman that has feelings and emotions.

“She carries it with grace, but there’s a lot to handle there. If anything, make sure that we show her love outside of her performance. She’ll break it. I’m excited for her."

Apart from her take on Clark's future in the WNBA, Swoopes' additional comments about the record's validity when the popular Iowa star breaks it also raised eyebrows since they were entirely inaccurate.

“If you’re going to break a record, to me, if it’s legitimate, you have to break that record in the same amount of time that that player set it,” Swoopes said. “If Kelsey Plum set that record in four years, Caitlin should have broke that record in four years.

“But because there’s a COVID year and then there’s another year, she’s already had an extra year to break that record. So, is it truly a broken record?”

The reality is that Kelsey Plum played 139 games in four years to take the record, and Clark has played 123 games in four years and has not yet used up her extra year of eligibility awarded to student-athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two legends have approached the matter of Caitlin Clark breaking the record entirely differently, showing the duality of sports.