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Caitlin Clark expected to be left off of Team USA roster for 2024 Olympics, per report
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Caitlin Clark will have to wait a few more years before becoming an Olympian, according to a report.
Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Clark was not selected as one of Team USA’s 12 players for this Summer’s Olympic Games. Instead, per The Athletic’s report, Team USA will feature a veteran-laden roster with guards such as Diana Taurasi, Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu, amongst others.
Clark has had an up-and-down start to her rookie season, but is coming off of her best game as a pro: 30 points, 6 assists and 8 rebounds in a narrow road win over the Washington Mystics on Friday night.
Clark is now averaging 16.8 points, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds for the Indiana Fever. Her arrival in the WNBA has come with increased attendance and viewership numbers for the Fever and other franchises across the league.
Given the combination of Clark’s on-court numbers and the WNBA’s commercial success so far this season, it’s a surprise to see Clark be left off the roster for the Paris Games. Legendary WNBA player Lisa Leslie said back in April that Clark should “100 percent” be on Team USA’s roster for the Olympic Games.
According to reporting from USA Today’s Christine Brennan, decision-makers were concerned that Clark’s (potential) lack of a role could cause a distraction for the team.
This will be a focus of my reporting on this story. I can’t tell you how knowledgeable these sources are. Impeccable. pic.twitter.com/nEmj76p3AY
— Christine Brennan (@cbrennansports) June 8, 2024
With or without Clark, Team USA will be a massive favorite at the Olympic Games. The US’ women’s basketball team has won 7 consecutive Gold Medals at the Olympic Games, a streak that began in 1996.
The 2024 Olympic Games are set to begin on July 26 in Paris. The WNBA will be taking a mid-season break during the Olympics — a reprieve that could be beneficial for Clark, who has been playing high-level basketball non-stop since the start of her senior season at Iowa in October of 2023.
Clark is currently a -850 favorite to win the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year Award, according to the latest odds at FanDuel.
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Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.