Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame 2016 Class Announcement - Source: Getty — When Sheryl Swoopess opened up about emotional struggle of being away from son (image credit: getty)

"I started bawling": When Sheryl Swoopes opened up about emotional struggle of being away from son

Modified Dec 20, 2024 17:42 GMT

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes reflected on her emotional struggle in a 2011 interview with ESPN's Mechelle Voepel. Swoopes revealed that rejoining the league with the Tulsa Shock required her to be away from her son, who was based in Texas.

Moving to Tulsa was a hard choice for Swoopes as her son, Jordan, was living in Texas and pursuing his athletic ambitions.

"This is the first time since I've been playing in the WNBA that he hasn't been with me all summer," Swoopes said. "He called me the other day and said, 'I miss you' and I started bawling and said, 'I miss you, too.' But he has his own schedule now."

Swoopes took the basketball world by storm when she announced her comeback to the WNBA at 40 years old. During her time with the Shock, she served as a mentor to the team's young players.

"When I made the decision to come here, I knew that leadership was going to be part of my job," Swoopes said. "We have a very young team. I've never been in a situation like this before in the WNBA; I've played with players who had been doing it for a long time. So they understood the game, all the things as a basketball player that you just know you have to do."

However, things didn't go as planned as she joined a team in bad form. They finished the 2011 WNBA season with a league-worst 3-31 record. Swoopes averaged 8.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 33 games.

Sheryl Swoopes and Caitlin Clark controversy explained

Sheryl Swoopes earned her stripes during her playing career but she garnered unwanted attention when she publicly criticized Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark and questioned her dominance in the league.

Swoopes appeared on the Dec. 11 episode of "Gil's Arena" after Clark was named TIME Magazine's Athlete of the Year and she took a controversial route by asking who she went up against for the award

“I don’t think I’m surprised," Swoopes said. "I’m curious to know who the other candidates were, but the fact that that’s the very first WNBA player to ever win TIME Magazine Athlete of the Year is pretty special."

Her reaction sparked outrage from fans who made their feelings known on social media. The feud has led to a rift between the Hall of Famer and other WNBA legends who have defended Clark and called out Swoopes for her criticism.