Caitlin Clark & the Olympics

Caitlin Clark Fever has carried over into her professional career (pun not intended, but it worked out well).  The WNBA's TV ratings and attendance are both way up, and a number of Indiana games have been moved into NBA arenas just to accommodate the demand for tickets.  So, naturally, with the Olympics coming up, it was natural to wonder whether she'd be selected for the U.S. team headed to Paris.

Whether she made the team or not, it was going to be controversial either way.  She was by no means a lock to make the team, and the arguments for and against her inclusion were equally valid.  And had she been chosen, she likely would've been one of the last players on the bench and not seen much playing time.

Ultimately, Clark was not chosen for the 12-member Olympic team.  Her lack of international experience was cited as one of the main reasons.  Every player on the roster has previously played for the United States internationally in either the World Cup or Olympics, including multiple Olympic gold medalists.  Clark's only previous international experience came at the U-16 and U-19 level (she was the MVP of the 2021 U-19 World Cup).  No player without prior Senior National Team experience has ever made an Olympic roster in the WNBA era.  She also the team's training camp, which, in fairness, wasn't her fault since Iowa was in the Women's Final Four at the time.  Those seem to have been the deciding factors.

To her credit, Clark took the rejection in stride.  Which, frankly, isn't that surprising.  She said it was "something to work for" and vowed to get better so that she can make the team for the LA Games in 2028.  Making the team in four years (and 2032, and 2036) should not be a problem!  Her status as one of the 12 best American players won't be debatable then.  Right now, though?  You can't say that she definitely is.

That didn't stop other people from being outraged "on her behalf."  To these critics, it was completely unfathomable that Caitlin Clark isn't on the Olympic roster.  They, of course, didn't actually know what they were talking about and were basing their opinion simply on the phenomenon that she has become.  Not whether she actually belonged on the roster.  In their eyes, she "deserved" a spot simply because she's Caitlin Clark.

Former Presidential candidate Nikki Haley even chimed in, wondering "whether Team USA wants to win."  What an asinine take!  They've won seven straight gold medals and haven't lost a game in the Olympics since 1992.  And you think they don't want to win?!  I think the fact that they didn't give in to the massive public outcry for her to be on the roster no matter what is proof that winning is their No. 1 objective.  They think their chances of winning gold are better without Caitlin Clark than they would be with her.

Others questioned the selection of those who were named to the team instead of her.  Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner were specifically singled out.  Taurasi is a USA Basketball legend.  She's a five-time Olympic gold medalist who'll be playing in her sixth (and likely final) Olympics in Paris.  Taurasi is 42 years old and nearing the end of her career, but her experience and leadership were a deciding factor in her becoming the first basketball player in Olympic history to appear in six Games.

Questioning why Griner made the team over Clark, meanwhile, makes absolutely no sense!  They don't even play the same position!  Griner is a post player.  Clark is a guard.  They weren't competing for the same roster spot.  You can make the argument that Clark should be on the team over one of the guards.  You can't argue that she should be on instead of Griner, a forward.

Perhaps my favorite argument for why it's "short-sighted" or a "mistake," though, are those who brought up TV ratings.  This argument was based entirely on the belief that NBC's ratings for Olympic women's basketball will suffer simply because Clark isn't on the team.  While I won't deny that more people would've cared/paid attention/watched if she were on the roster, to think that USA Basketball should've made their decision based on what would be best for NBC is absurd!  What NBC may have wanted was the furthest thing from their minds!

Here's my question to all those critics--who are you taking off to put Caitlin Clark on?  There are seven guards on the team--Taurasi, Kelsey Plum, Jewell Loyd, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper.  I've already talked about Taurasi.  Plum, Loyd and Young were locks.  Gray has been injured, but if she's good to go for Paris (which, evidently, she will be), she's probably a starter.  And, again, if you pick Clark, she isn't getting much playing time.  She's one of the last players on the bench.

There's this, too.  Caitlin Clark the pro simply isn't as good as Caitlin Clark the college player.  That's not a criticism.  It's simply an observation based on the first month of her WNBA career.  She's having the struggles typical of a rookie.  Rookies typically aren't picked for the Olympic team.  Breanna Stewart was the last in 2016.  So, the fact that we were even talking about Clark being in the mix for a spot on the Olympic team speaks volumes in and of itself.

Personally, I would've put her on the team.  Clark will be a regular member of the U.S. Women's National Team for the next 15 years, likely starting with the 2026 FIBA World Cup in Germany.  Knowing that, it would've been important for her to get that first international experience under her belt--even if she only plays limited minutes.  But I can also understand why she was left off if USA Basketball thinks other players are better equipped for that bench role.

Make no mistake, USA Basketball has put itself in a gold medal-or-bust position.  That was already the case anyway, but it's especially true now.  Because they're already being second guessed for snubbing Caitlin Clark.  If they don't win gold (as expected), that criticism will only amplify tenfold!  Even if they do, that still won't satisfy those people who thought Caitlin Clark automatically should've been on the team just because of who she is and the sensation she's become.

USA Basketball doesn't care about any of that.  And they shouldn't.  Their job was to construct the best 12-player roster possible with the goal of winning gold in Paris.  That roster does not include Caitlin Clark.  Which she seems to be OK with, even if the outspoken critics aren't.