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Sheryl Swoopes

Biography

Born and raised in Brownfield, Texas, Sheryl Swoopes became one of the most accomplished players in women's basketball. At Texas Tech, she led the Lady Raiders to the 1993 NCAA championship and scored 47 points against Ohio State in the championship game, setting an NCAA championship-game scoring record at the time. She later represented the United States at the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic Games, winning gold at all three.


Swoopes helped the Houston Comets win the WNBA's first four championships from 1997 through 2000. She was a three-time WNBA MVP, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and six-time All-Star. On October 23, 1996, the WNBA identified Swoopes as the first player signed to the new league, ahead of its inaugural 1997 season. In 1995, she became the first woman to have a signature Nike basketball shoe, the Air Swoopes.


In October 2005, Swoopes publicly came out while she was still an active WNBA player. In her interview with The Advocate, she discussed her relationship with former basketball player and Comets assistant coach Alisa “Scotty” Scott and the difficulty of keeping her personal life private. When asked whether she considered herself lesbian or bisexual, Swoopes said, “I just consider myself a person,” and added that she did not consider herself bisexual. Later Advocate coverage described her as having come out as a lesbian.

BQW Impact

Sheryl Swoopes is significant to the history of Black women's sports and LGBTQ+ visibility. As the first player signed by the WNBA, she helped establish the league during its formative period. Her career included an NCAA championship, three Olympic gold medals, four WNBA championships, three MVP awards, and a pioneering signature-shoe deal.


Her 2005 public coming-out added another dimension to that history. Swoopes came out while she remained a prominent professional athlete, bringing visibility to LGBTQ+ identity within women's professional basketball. She said she hoped her decision would help people who wanted to come out but were afraid to do so.

Notable Works

  • 1993 NCAA Championship (1993)

    Led Texas Tech to its first NCAA women's basketball championship and scored 47 points against Ohio State, setting an NCAA championship-game scoring record at the time. (WNBA)

  • Nike Air Swoopes (1995)

    Became the first woman to have a signature Nike basketball shoe, with the original Air Swoopes released in 1995. (ESPN)

  • First WNBA Signing (1996)

    Became the first player signed by the WNBA on October 23, 1996, ahead of the league's inaugural 1997 season. (WNBA)

  • Three Olympic Gold Medals (1996, 2000, 2004)

    Won Olympic gold with the United States women's basketball team at three consecutive Olympic Games. (WNBA)

  • Houston Comets Four-Peat (1997 - 2000)

    Helped the Houston Comets win the first four WNBA championships. (WNBA)

  • Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (2016)

    Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. (WNBA)

Learn More

  • WNBA

    Official player profile and career information.

  • WNBA: Sheryl Swoopes Career Timeline

    Official career timeline documenting her Olympic career, WNBA signing, and major basketball milestones.

  • The Advocate

    Contemporary reporting and interview material documenting Swoopes's 2005 coming-out and her own discussion of identity.

  • ESPN

    Swoopes discusses the Nike Air Swoopes and becoming the first woman to have a signature athletic shoe.

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