Everyone appears to have an opinion over Caitlin Clark’s exclusion from the American women’s basketball team during the Olympics.
However, the individuals who made the contentious choice have finally provided sports fans with an explanation.
Everyone appears to have an opinion over Caitlin Clark’s exclusion from the American women’s basketball team during the Olympics.
However, the individuals who made the contentious choice have finally provided sports fans with an explanation.
“As a committee, we were given these basketball criteria. How do we evaluate our players based on that?” she said. Additionally, because they checked a lot more boxes, certain players were more difficult to cut when choosing a team based only on criteria. Then, occasionally, it comes down to position, coach Cheryl Reeve’s style of play, and occasionally, a vote.
Seven members of the Tokyo gold medal winning squad are on the team that is traveling to Paris, including Diana Taurasi, who is returning for a record-tying sixth time. Notably, in 2004 as a rookie in the WNBA, she began her Olympic career in Athens.
Many believe that Clark, the No. 1 overall pick who had a record-breaking career at Iowa, is the primary cause of the growing interest in WNBA and women’s basketball. In order to accommodate more fans, some WNBA clubs have rescheduled their games against Clark’s Indiana Fever. During her time in college, her games broke attendance records.
Beyond the argument over whether or not she belongs on the team, Clark’s rookie season success—or lack thereof—and the surrounding phenomenon have sparked broader discussions about race, sports culture, and the role of the media in those discussions.
Although prominent commentators like ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd have voiced their opposition to the decision, USA Basketball insists that the decision to leave Clark off the roster is only a basketball one. Clark’s exclusion from the team seems to be a source of contention for some.