WNBA great Sheryl Swoopes issued an apology to Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark after making controversial remarks about Clark's record accomplishments and playing style. Swoopes, a Hall of Famer and iconic figure in the league's history, admitted her mistake during Sunday's Baylor-Texas Tech game. She clarified that she had wrongly assumed it was Clark's fifth year when it is actually her fourth year.

The apology comes after Swoopes had faced criticism for downplaying Clark's pursuit of Kelsey Plum's all-time NCAA scoring record. Swoopes had questioned the legitimacy of Clark's record-breaking achievement due to her taking an extra year, which was not the case as Clark is currently in her fourth year.

Following her comments on Gilbert Arenas' show in late January, Swoopes acknowledged that she was not trying to diminish Clark's achievements but rather emphasize the time taken to reach certain records. However, she sparked further controversy by suggesting that Clark's dominance in college may not immediately translate to the WNBA, citing concerns about her playing style and shot frequency.

In response to the backlash, Swoopes clarified her statements on Instagram, emphasizing that she was expressing her own opinion and holding no ill will towards Clark or Angel Reese. The situation escalated when Iowa's social media team and fans reacted negatively to Swoopes' initial comments, leading to the creation of a shirt saying "Don't be a Sheryl."

Ultimately, Swoopes reached out to Reese and subsequently had a productive conversation with Clark, where they discussed the misunderstandings and seemingly resolved the issue. Currently ranked fourth in the country with a 23-3 season record, Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes continue their impressive run, with an eye on further success in the future.