Sheryl Swoopes reveals private texts from Caitlin Clark after facing backlash for skipping Fever rookie's game broadcast

Former WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes has faced backlash from fans for her perceived stance on Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark. The Dallas Wings broadcaster, who copped criticism from fans after missing Monday's game against the Fever, addressed the backlash by revealing she had reached out to Clark personally.

She posted screenshots of a conversation with Clark from February in which she complimented the Fever guard and apologized for how she assessed her.

"Was having a convo with two Caitlin fans(actually nice ones) and sent this to them regarding me reaching out to CC back in February," Swoopes posted.

In the exchange, Clark expressed her admiration for Swoopes and thanked the Hall of Famer for her contributions to women's basketball, noting that Swoopes helped lay a "foundation" for women athletes.

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Why was Swoopes absent from Caitlin Clark's game against Wings?

The Fever defeated the Wings 100-93 at home on Monday. However, Swoopes' absence was the main topic of conversation on social media. The only broadcasters present during the game were Nancy Lieberman and Ron Thulin.

Fans accused Swoopes of dodging Clark but she revealed that she was not supposed to be part of the broadcast in the first place.

"FYI, I was never supposed to do the game. Also, I do not hate Caitlin. It's a lot of her fans that are just flat out mean and evil. I see that does not apply to you," Swoopes posted on X.

The final meeting of the season between the Wings and the Fever is scheduled for Sept. 15 in Indiana.