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USA Basketball has reportedly finalized the women's team for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark was notable in her omission from the list.
The No. 1 overall pick was included in the provisional roster pool ahead of the selection. Selection committee chairperson Jennifer Rizzotti told the Associated Press' Doug Feinberg the open of the WNBA season was effectively Clark's tryout for the squad.
Not surprisingly, Clark has once again become a lightning rod on social media with her Olympic status coming into focus.
Here's a sampling from the crowd who believed the 6'0" guard warranted a spot, in large part thanks to her massive popularity:
Dan Wolken @DanWolkenYou have one opportunity every four years to present your sport to an international audience of people who don't tune in regularly. By the way, we aren't doing the current 12 best players on the men's side either. Other factors matter. It's absurd to leave her off. <a href="https://t.co/F2OFkXWbZx">https://t.co/F2OFkXWbZx</a>
Christine Brennan @cbrennansportsWhy leaving Caitlin Clark off the 2024 US Olympic women's basketball team matters, a lot. I've reported on the team at every Olympics since 1984. I've watched the stunning lack of coverage & lack of interest every time. Here are four sections of my Feb column on this exact topic: <a href="https://t.co/MjwqeVQdR8">pic.twitter.com/MjwqeVQdR8</a>
Albert Breer @AlbertBreerOlympic teams should picked be on merit, no doubt. But it's patently insane for a sport that's seen a very real surge in popularity not to do all it can to capitalize on the moment it's in. Who on earth would see more downside than upside in giving Caitlin Clark a roster spot?
Linda Cohn @lindacohnYet 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. <a href="https://t.co/vsOAaUZSJn">https://t.co/vsOAaUZSJn</a>
And here are the others who didn't see any issue in Clark getting bypassed, citing other deserving candidates and questioning what impact she might have had in a bench role:
Master @MasterTesArike Ogunbowale averaging 26.6 PPG and didn't make the Olympic roster. Her numbers (and experience) far exceed Caitlin Clark.<br><br>This isn't about singling out CC. The US Olympic squad has always been tough to make. Too many great players. <a href="https://t.co/0yqeYXm73m">pic.twitter.com/0yqeYXm73m</a>
Myron Medcalf @MedcalfByESPNCaitlin Clark does not have to get everything, immediately, all at once. It's OK for her to go through the same journey as all of the talented players before her. Name the last time you watched a documentary about a great athlete that said after one year, they had it all. Relax.
Steve Politi @StevePolitiThe U.S. women's basketball team is 70-3 in Olympic play with seven straight gold medals. Isn't the idea that it needs Caitlin Clark to "grow the game" sort of unfair and borderline insulting?
There was a solid argument for selecting the 22-year-old despite her relative lack of pro experience. She was a two-time national player of the year at Iowa, and she figures to be a long-term piece of Team USA moving forward. Going to the 2024 Summer Olympics would've helped her get acclimated with the international game.
Clark's performance didn't make this a no-brainer, though. She's averaging 16.8 points on 37.3 percent shooting along with 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists. That's good but not great production for a team that's off to a 3-9 start. Purely on the merits, there are better American players than her right now.
The extent to which Clark might help to widen the appeal of women's basketball is probably being overstated as well. This isn't like in 1992, when Michael Jordan and the Dream Team playing in front of a worldwide audience was a seminal moment with a lasting legacy.
The sport at the women's level is already growing around the globe, and the 2021 gold medal game drew a viewership of 7.8 million viewers domestically.
For the United States this summer, the likes of A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart Napheesa Collier and Jewell Loyd among others will do just fine in terms of helping Team USA defend its gold medal while putting on a show in the process.
