A fresh WNBA talent emerges with the basketball skills, marketing flair, and sheer charisma necessary to earn a spot on the U.S. women’s basketball roster for the 2024 Olympics.
And it’s not Caitlin Clark.
Angel Reese stands out as a superior candidate to join the 5-on-5 squad in Paris as an alternate – despite Clark’s exclusion from the official 12-player Team USA roster not sparking the same level of controversy.
This bold opinion follows the buzz around Clark’s perceived Olympic snub. However, the case for Reese is rooted in the realities of roster composition and the current WNBA season, where Reese and Clark are contenders for the Rookie of the Year title.
The two rookies are set to face each other for the second time in their WNBA careers at noon ET Sunday when Clark and the Indiana Fever take on Reese and the Chicago Sky. Here’s why Reese merits serious consideration from USA Basketball.
Why Angel Reese is Better Suited for Team USA
I initially projected Clark to secure a spot on the 12-player roster for USA Basketball’s 5-on-5 team for the 2024 Olympics. Like many, I believed her widespread popularity and undeniable talent would make her an obvious choice.
Moreover, the U.S. team needs fresh faces. This year marks the first time in Olympic history that Team USA will not feature a player under 25 years old. Jackie Young and Sabrina Ionescu, both 26, are the youngest on the squad.
Yet, this presents an issue for Clark. A closer look at the roster shows Ionescu filled what might have been Clark’s spot – and deservedly so.
Ionescu averages 17.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game, with fewer turnovers (3.1) than Clark. Clark, at 22, averages 15.6 points, 6.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.5 turnovers. With Ionescu already on the team, Clark may not be the best alternate unless Ionescu is unavailable due to injury.
The USA Basketball player pool is also deep at the guard position. Seven of the 12 roster spots are occupied by guards, which means even Arike Ogunbowale, the WNBA’s second-leading scorer, didn’t make the cut, left out. Ariel Atkins, Allisha Gray, and Skylar Diggins-Smith, all with significant Team USA experience, are also in reserve.
Several strong post players were overlooked, including Brionna Jones, Dearica Hamby, and Aliyah Boston. Jones is reportedly a top choice for an injury replacement—though USA Basketball isn’t expected to announce an official list of alternates, they have a shortlist of potential substitutes. The 6-3 power forward for the Connecticut Sun could edge out Reese, another 6-3 power forward, for contention.
Nonetheless, Reese is more likely to fulfill a positional need in a less crowded position. At 22, like Clark, she represents the youth movement needed to propel the program forward.
Reese is also peaking at the right time. In addition to her 12.2 points per game, she averages 10.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game – both ranking fifth in the WNBA.
With a double-double in each of Chicago’s last five games as of June 15, she is a strong contender in the Rookie of the Year race alongside Clark (and Cameron Brink, another rookie post player already heading to Paris as part of the 3-on-3 team).
Does Reese have the Olympic potential? Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon believes so.
“Does she have what it takes? She’s showing it,” Weatherspoon said. “She has what it takes. You’re doggone right she has what it takes.”
While Reese doesn’t command the same attention as Clark, she would undoubtedly draw eyes to the women’s basketball competition at the Summer Games. Both gained national fame simultaneously during the 2023 NCAA Tournament final, where Reese’s LSU defeated Clark’s Iowa for the title.
Reese may not dominate the national conversation like Clark, but she boasts an even larger social following, with 6.7 million followers across Instagram and TikTok – more than double Clark’s 2.9 million. And she actively engages with her audience, posting frequently across platforms.
USA Basketball didn’t factor in marketing when compiling its 12-player roster, as selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti noted.
“It wasn’t our committee’s role to decide how many people would watch or root for the U.S.,” Rizzotti said.
Yet, arguments for Clark’s inclusion considered these factors. Even if the committee doesn’t acknowledge it, Reese’s social media presence is a significant advantage.
Reese does share some of Clark’s perceived weaknesses, especially her lack of senior national team experience.
Both Reese and Clark have been playing non-stop for eight months, transitioning straight from the NCAA postseason to the WNBA Draft, training camp, and the 2024 season. Both could benefit from several weeks of rest and recovery during the Olympic break.
While Clark is expected to be a top candidate for injury replacements, Reese hasn’t been in the conversation yet.
That should change as the national team looks to its present needs and future potential.
