- She responded to the news by praising the12 players
- Cheryl Reeves heads Team USA squad for the Olympics
- The Fever guard is currently a big wave in the WNBA
Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark Olympics response is at best a statement of humility and maturity in such a competitive sport.
Clark will not be among the 12 women’s basketball squad representing the US at the Paris Olympic Games 2024.
Caitlin Clark Olympics Response
As hard as it is, she responded to the news by praising the 12 players who made it to the Olympics.
She calmly told her fans at a press conference on Monday that joining Team USA Olympics remains her biggest dream.
The WNBA rookie added that it is a challenge she has to work towards ‘with the right motivation’ to get there in 2028. Despite missing from this squad, she asserted that she was sure they were the best picks to bring Olympic victory home.
The Fever guard is currently a big wave in the WNBA and it was a big shock that she will miss in action at the Summer Olympics Games this year in Paris.
Why is Caitlin Not on the Olympic Team?
Caitlin Clark of Indiana Fever. Photo/Neil’s Substack
Her response resulted from her missing from Team USA women’s basketball squad that will represent America at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Legendary Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo explained that Clark’s star in women’s basketball shone a little too late.
Lobo while appearing as a guest analyst on Get Up on Monday stated that it took three years to put together the roster.
She was nowhere near her recent perfection in 2022 when the process started. According to Lobo, some of those selected had rigorous training camps from February 2022 when the selection started to date.
Subsequent training camps followed in 2022, 2023 and 2024 where they had multiple exhibition matches abroad. Ideally, those who are on the roster for the Olympics trained with the Olympic team since 2022.
Further, she missed out on the Olympic team due to her timing in joining the WNBA. Usually, most sports disciplines, including the WNBA and NBA go for a summer break to allow players to participate in the Olympic games.
Prior to this, the chosen team must participate in seven training camps and exhibitions to satisfy all set conditions in picking the right team for the Olympics.
Caitlin Clark. Photo/Newsweek
Clark who was an NCAA player for Iowa Hawkeyes until her recent WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever never participated in any of these training camps for Team USA.
The team’s [Team USA women’s basketball] Cheryl Reeves uses these training camps to gauge the capability of her players.
Moreover, the team in general gets to know each other better and works towards learning how each of their potential opponent plays.
Thus, it isn’t possible to include any basketball player in this squad if they never participated in all of the seven training camps.
Has Caitlin Clark Played in the Olympics?
She is yet to play in the Olympics. Paris Olympic Games would have been her first if she made it but she didn’t.
While she works on making it to the 2028 Olympic Games for the US team; she has proven her influence in the WNBA. The 22-year-old rookie drew the world to collegiate basketball when playing for the Hawkeyes.
She is a double NCAA player of the year and history has been fair to her. Her current team, the Indiana Fever selected her with the first overall pick in 2024.
Caitlin Clark. Photo/Sports Illustrated
Her presence with the team since May 2024 is nothing short of brilliant and it is among the reasons why her popularity in the US is growing tremendously.
Even with her absence, Team USA Olympics has some of the most brilliant WNBA players on the roster. They include the following:
- Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)
- Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)
- A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)
- Kahleah Copper ((Phoenix Mercury)
- Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces)
- Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces)
- Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)
- Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm)
- Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun)
- Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)
- Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces)
- Sabrina Lonescu (New York Liberty)
Conclusion
Clark missed out on Team USA Olympics selection and it isn’t her fault. She was establishing herself as an Iowa Hawkeyes player in collegiate basketball and it paid off with her first overall draft pick by the Indiana Fever. Moreover, the USA has a history of winning gold medals since 1996 in women’s basketball. With the likes of Griner and Taurasi on the team; the US commands a lot of hope in winning a gold medal this year.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login