Clark was the number 1 draft pick this year.
Fans are reportedly part of the reason she wasn't included. Sources told USA Today "that concern over how Clark’s millions of fans would react to what would likely be limited playing time" was part of the reason to leave her off the roster. Clark was the number 1 draft pick this year. She recently make a WNBA rookie record-tying seven 3 pointers in one game and scored 30 points total. Hundreds of fans at the DC game wore her jersey.
Britney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury will be on the US team after spending 10 months in a Russian prison on weed charges before Joe Biden traded an international black market arms dealer for her release. Former gold medal-winning Olympian Diana Taurasi will also be on the team. Taurasi is 42.
Rounding out the team are Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and first timer Olympic contenders Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu and Kahleah Copper.
The US women's team has been the most dominant in the sport during the Olympic games but the players don't tend to make headlines. That would likely be different if Clark were on the team. "USA Basketball certainly could have tapped into her enormous reach to help promote not only its 2024 Olympic team but the women’s game in general. Selecting Clark also would have honored the popularity of the college game — and it has been done before, with collegians like Christian Laettner, Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart making U.S. Olympic teams over the years," USA Today writes.
USA Basketball had even asked for extra time before submitting their roster past the June 7 deadline, meaning they could have watched the opening games of the WNBA season and given Clark further consideration beyond her college play. The final roster is due June 24 and changes could be made before then.
Clark has put the NBA back in the spotlight with her three-point shots and game play, delighting fans. Other players have not all been as supportive. As press has rushed in, other players have felt under appreciated. Player Angel Reese pushed back against the media narrative that Clark is the reason so many eyes are on the game.
"The reason why we're watching women's basketball is not just because of one person," Reese said, "It's because of me, too. I want y'all to realize that."
Chennedy Carter was asked about a particularly hard foul on the court in which she pushed Clark to the floor, but said "I ain't answering no Caitlin Clark questions."
"I feel like I'm getting hammered. I don't know," Clark told reporters after the incident.
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Comments
2024-06-10T16:21-0400 | Comment by: Lelia
WNBA... what a joke,