News that Caitlin Clark would not be on the 2024 Team USA women’s basketball roster did not go over well.
On Saturday, it was learned that the final roster would include Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu.
The Team USA Women's Basketball Olympics roster has been announced, per @ShamsCharania and @joevardon 🇺🇸
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 8, 2024
A'ja Wilson
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
Alyssa Thomas
Brittney Griner
Napheesa Collier
Jewell Loyd
Kelsey Plum
Jackie Young
Kahleah Copper
Sabrina Ionescu
Chelsea Gray pic.twitter.com/222FOOhAAh
However, it would not include women’s basketball’s most popular player, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark. Outraged fans expressed their disgust at what they felt was the loss of an opportunity to give fans a real reason to watch the games.
Rant incoming. - leaving Caitlin Clark off the women's Olympic team is the dumbest shit I've ever heard pic.twitter.com/RXg0XwFwtN
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 8, 2024
I don’t know enough about USA women’s Olympic basketball to know if Caitlin Clark’s omission is a snub. I do know that, right now, she would be the only reason I would remotely care about USA women’s Olympic basketball. https://t.co/IAP8bulQXg
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) June 8, 2024
Christian Laettner made the Dream Team. Caitlin Clark can’t make the women’s Olympic basketball team? What mostly pays for the Olympics — oh wait — revenue generated from broadcasting partners. As in TV. As in Caitlin is TV GOLD. Opportunity wasted.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) June 8, 2024
Am I the only one glad they left Caitlin Clark off the Olympic team? Now I don't have to watch a bunch of angry, entitled feminists who hate America play hoops.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) June 8, 2024
Yet Caitlin Clark is not selected to the Team USA Women’s Basketball team heading to Paris for the Olympics?!?! All she does is grow the game, pack arenas, and set rookie records. What a short sighted decision. Lost opportunity. https://t.co/vsOAaUZSJn
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) June 8, 2024
It’s unbelievable how much both the WNBA and USA basketball have botched every step of the way with Caitlin Clark.
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) June 8, 2024
They’ve been handed the eyeballs and attention they’ve wanted for decades but because they don’t like who’s bringing them, they refuse to accept them.
Team USA deciding to leave the biggest superstar at home for THE OLYMPICS is the dumbest shit ever.
— Kayce Smith (@KayceSmith) June 8, 2024
Caitlin Clark is quite literally selling out NBA arenas AND breaking WNBA records.
But sure! why make Team USA more watched, cooler and have infinitely more jerseys sold??? 🙄
Leaving Caitlin Clark off Olympic team is terrible for NBC Sports, which is paying billions for U.S. TV rights.
— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) June 8, 2024
She would have absolutely super-charged Olympic TV audiences the way she did in college and now in the pros.
Short-sighted doesn't begin to describe this decision. https://t.co/bRLVA6ZEbB
However, not everyone was disappointed or upset with Clark’s exclusion from the squad.
Arike Ogunbowale averaging 26.6 PPG and didn’t make the Olympic roster. Her numbers (and experience) far exceed Caitlin Clark.
— Master (@MasterTes) June 8, 2024
This isn’t about singling out CC. The US Olympic squad has always been tough to make. Too many great players. pic.twitter.com/0yqeYXm73m
Honestly, Caitlin Clark not being on this year’s Olympics team is actually a good thing — FOR HER. In the span of weeks, she went from playing college ball, to becoming a professional, to having a grind of schedule. A multi-week break probably isn’t the worst thing in the world.…
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 8, 2024
I promise you, Caitlin Clark sitting on the bench for 98% of games at the Olympics but commanding 98% of the coverage does not do the service to growing women’s basketball you think it does
— Chris Bumbaca (@BOOMbaca) June 8, 2024
Clark would indeed have had to fight for playing time on a veteran-heavy Olympic roster. USA Today’s Christine Brennan reports that fear of fan backlash due to the minimal number of minutes Clark would have played factored heavily into the decision to leave her off the roster.
“Two other sources, both long-time U.S. basketball veterans with decades of experience in the women’s game, told USA TODAY Sports Friday that concern over how Clark’s millions of fans would react to what would likely be limited playing time on a stacked roster was a factor in the decision making,” Brennan reported. “If true, that would be an extraordinary admission of the tension that this multi-million-dollar sensation, who signs autographs for dozens of children before and after every game, has caused for the old guard of women’s basketball. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.”
However, as shown above, Team USA would receive backlash regardless.
