Swoopes then said she was wasn't surprised that Clark, 22, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, received the honor, but was curious about the criteria.

“I don’t think I’m surprised. 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, it’s pretty special,” Swoopes said. “And my question is like, the criteria, is it based off her performance on the court? Yeah, she has a great year. Or was is it more about the impact that she had on the game this season?… I think it’s great — not just for her — I think it’s great for the league. Everybody talked about recognition that she brought to the W this season, so for her to be Time magazine Athlete of the Year, I think it’s really great for the league.”

Clark, who specifically mentioned Swoopes among the pioneering Black WNBA legends she idolized growing up, acknowledged the racial underpinnings of her superstardom, which has led to a spike in the viewership of women's basketball at both the collegiate and professional levels, in her exclusive TIME interview.

“I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege,” Clark said. “A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.”

Swoopes, 53, previously questioned the legitimacy of Clark's record as the all-time NCAA leading scorer, claiming she had a fifth year to break it. The four-time WNBA champion previously feuded with ESPN analyst and iHeartMedia podcast host Stephen A. Smith over the Clark discourse prior to Smith hosting fellow WNBA legend Nancy Lieberman, who said she ended her friendship with Swoopes over their differing takes on Clark.

This story is brought to you by the Women's Sports Audio Network (WSAN). WSAN is the first-ever audio platform dedicated exclusively to women's sports. WSAN celebrates female athletes and gives an in-depth look into their personal experiences in and out of their respective sports. Check out more on the WSAN site.

Dan Barreiro