When we talk about the greatest women’s basketball players, Sheryl Swoopes undoubtedly deserves to be in the conversation. The six-foot-tall combo guard achieved everything an athlete could dream of, as she dominated the WNBA in the early 2000s. Not only that, her college career is well-rounded, too, with a national title and MOP honors. However, her opinions on the younger generation are quite polarizing, especially the things she says about Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark.

Caitlin Clark, an Iowa alum, enjoyed quite a successful collegiate career. She holds the record for the most career points for both the men’s and women’s divisions and reached back-to-back Final Fours with the Hawkeyes. However, Sheryl Swoopes is not a fan, to say the least. The Texas legend has criticized the Indiana Fever star thoroughly over the past few years, with her dislike for the point guard being well-documented.

No one compared the two players outright until FOX came out with their top 10 college basketball players of all time. The list featured all the big names—Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Cheryl Miller, Maya Moore—but there was one noticeable exclusion. Sheryl Swoopes did not make the cut! In her place? Caitlin Clark.

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The Hawkeyes alum, surprisingly, found herself at number 2 on the list! Way over names like Candace Parker, Cheryl Miller, and the other legends on the list. Obviously, the list ended up becoming quite a polarizing issue! But how did the WNBA community react to this ranking? Let’s find out.

Fans torn between Caitlin Clark and Sheryl Swoopes in ranking debacle

Comparison is the thief of joy, it seems. There’s no doubt that both Caitlin Clark and Sheryl Swoopes are two of the greatest to have ever done it at the college level. However, FOX’s list of the greatest college players of all-time sparked a debate that’s very difficult to settle.

Social media was divided after seeing the list, and everyone had a different reason to be upset! Some fans came to the defense of Sheryl Swoopes. “Sheryl Swoopes not being in the top 10 is crazy and as much as I love CC, she is not the second-greatest player ever. I’d put her anywhere between 5-8.” A writer for The Atlantic said on X, speaking out against the rankings. 

But this wasn’t just a one-sided debate. Supporters rallied behind Swoopes, while others questioned Caitlin Clark’s ranking—and even her inclusion—on the list. One critic put it bluntly: “Isn’t it a bit premature to consider CC among the all-time top five players, let alone among the top two?”

The biggest argument against her? No national championship. Without that elusive title, some believe she can’t be considered one of the greatest collegiate players of all time.

However, there are always two sides to the story! The support Caitlin Clark got in this incident was overwhelming. “In CC’s defense, there is no one on that list that would have taken her team to back to back championship games let alone win one. She’s a singular offensive force that no one even comes close to (all time #1 scorer and #3 assists).” A fan said, pointing out the lack of firepower that CC had to work with. Not only that, her statistical accomplishments are nothing short of insane!

Another fan agreed and delved deeper into the point about Clark’s team. “Caitlin Clark is 1st in points and 3rd in assists all time. No one else is top 25 in both. She didn’t have any 5 star recruits on her team besides herself. She has some 4 stars, and mainly 3 stars.” From what it looks like, the WNBA star’s resume is quite solid! And it might be more solid than Swoopes, as a fan pointed out on X. “Sheryl Swoopes didn’t have the competition that CC had.”

There’s no doubt that Caitlin Clark’s college years revolutionized women’s basketball. She fought through some of the toughest competition, and made a name for her sport in the entire world. However, respect has to be paid to the legends of the game. The Sheryl Swoopes vs Caitlin Clark debacle has gone on for too long! Maybe it’s time to put it to rest?