Michele Tafoya says Team USA 'whiffed' by keeping WNBA star off roster for Paris Summer Games
Caitlin Clark snubbed from Team USA Olympics roster
Former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya argues Team USA missed a 'golden opportunity' by passing on Caitlin Clark considering her popularity and ability to bring new viewers to women's sports.
WNBA star Caitlin Clark was snubbed from the Team USA Olympic basketball roster for the summer 2024 games in Paris. While Clark took the decision as motivation, one critic argued Team USA missed a "golden opportunity."
"They whiffed here," Michele Tafoya told "Fox & Friends" Monday.
"Every woman on that team is deserving. And there are also other women out there who didn't get picked who are deserving, and I think Caitlin Clark is one of them."
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Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever celebrates during the game against the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on June 07, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
Tafoya, a longtime NFL sideline reporter and former Olympic broadcaster, argued Clark’s "undeniable" popularity paired with her talent should have earned her a spot on the roster.
"The Michele Tafoya Podcast" host said basketball is not only a game, but also a business.
"People are discovering women's basketball for the first time – for many, many people because of Caitlin Clark. She would have been a boon for this Olympic team," Tafoya told co-host Brian Kilmeade.
"This would have meant so much for the ratings of the women's Olympic basketball stuff. All of it."
In a Sunday press conference, Clark said she’s excited for Team USA and is looking forward to cheering them on to win gold.
"Honestly, no disappointment," she told press. "I think it just gives you something, something to work for. That’s a dream. Hopefully, one day I can be there, and I think it’s just a little more motivation. You remember that, and hopefully in four years, when four years comes back around, I can be there."
Clark averaged 16.8 points and 37.3% of shots made per game as a rookie in the 2024 regular season, according to ESPN.
Kilmeade acknowledged Clark’s "solid start" to her professional career but questioned whether she could be a "dominant" player in the WNBA.
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ESPN reported Caitlin Clark averaged 16.8 points and 37.3% of shots made per game during her rookie season.
"Are you saying her performance the other night with 30 points and seven threes to tie a rookie record does not show that she's a promising pro?" Tafoya shot back, referencing Clark’s performance against the Washington Mystics Saturday.
"You can sit her on the pine, you can have her the 12th person on your roster. People will still tune in to see if she gets on that floor, to see if she gets to play. These women on the U.S. team are so dominant that you can win with almost any 12 that they decided to pick," Tafoya explained.
"You do not lose anything by putting her on this roster. The women's game needs this woman."
