Caitlin Clark and Christie Sides (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Without a doubt, Caitlin Clark is a gifted basketball player who is coming off an incredible NCAA career with the potential to rank among the league’s best during her first professional season in the WNBA. It’s debatable whether she currently ranks among the WNBA’s best basketball players since she is only in a few games.
When Team USA’s Olympic roster is revealed soon, Clark, an Indiana Fever rookie, will not be on it, and this has caused a wave of backlash. Her exclusion suggests that she is not one of the top 12 WNBA players. Some feel she should be on it just based on her popularity alone.
The No. 1 overall pick did not make Team USA’s final roster for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which takes place next month. Christie Sides, the coach of the Fever, delivered her first public remarks since the news leaked over the weekend. Sides revealed her star’s instant response to the news, while Clark remained composed as usual.
On Sunday, Clark reacted to the news by saying that it gives her “something to work for.”
“I think I’m excited for the girls that are on the team,” Clark said. “I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could have gone either way of me being on the team, me not being on the team.”
Sides revealed what Clark said in a text message: “She got the call on the bus, and she texted me to let me know, and I just tried to keep her spirits up,” Sides said. The thing she said was, ‘Hey coach, they woke a monster,’ which I thought was awesome.”
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Although the whole roster was released a few hours after Clark’s exclusion from the squad, the official roster announcement is not anticipated to drop until Tuesday. The roster has future Hall of Famers, MVPs, and All-WNBA players, such as Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart, Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas, and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier.
One key reason Clark felt “no disappointment” about not making the cut was the caliber of talent and experience on the team since none of the players were under the age of 26.
Clark has averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists, according to ESPN.com.
Caitlin Clark Responds To Not Making Olympic Team
Head coach Christie Sides of the Indiana Fever talks with Caitlin Clark (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The rise in popularity in women’s basketball can directly be correlated to Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, but that doesn’t mean she had a sure-fire spot on the Olympic team that kicks off next month in Paris.
Clark was drafted first overall by the Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft after leading the Iowa Hawkeyes to two straight NCAA Championship games, but that wasn’t good enough for her to be selected for the team.
Despite the disappointment, Clark took the snubbing in stride.
“I’m excited for the girls that are on the team,” Clark said. “I know it’s the most competitive team in the world, and I know it could have gone either way of me being on the team or me not being on the team. I’m excited for them. Going to be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics. It’ll be fun to watch them.”
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