PARIS — Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s reigning triple-double machine and Iowa’s favorite basketball phenom, recently found herself in an unfamiliar position: not on a list. Specifically, the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team roster. Ouch.
In a plot twist that could rival any sports drama, Clark’s exclusion came as a shock to many, including her high school coach, Kristin Meyer, who promptly sent her a text. It wasn’t your typical “keep your chin up” message but a reminder of Clark’s reaction the last time someone dared to question her abilities.
Back in 2018, young Clark, then a high school sophomore, tried out for the U.S. U-17 World Cup team, brimming with confidence from her previous stint with the team. Picture it: a skinny teenager casually launching 30-footers and threading the needle with passes that seemed more suited for a needlework class. Despite breaking her pinkie during tryouts—yeah, you read that right, she played with a broken pinkie—Clark didn’t make the cut. The selection committee, swayed by the likes of future stars Haley Jones, Paige Bueckers, and Aliyah Boston, decided they had enough talent without her.
Meyer, reflecting on the 2018 snub, commented, “She played well, but I guess they just thought others were better. You know, typical committee stuff.”
Rather than sulk, Clark went home to Des Moines and got to work. What emerged was “Caitlin 2.0,” a more refined, efficient version of herself. She started making better decisions on the court, like thinking twice before launching a 27-footer or suppressing the urge to glare daggers at referees after a questionable call. By the end of her junior year, she was not just back on the radar—she was the radar.
Fast forward to 2021, Clark was no longer just a promising young player but a bona fide star, leading the U.S. to a U-19 World Championship gold medal and snagging the MVP title along the way. From there, her legend grew with every audacious behind-the-back dribble and logo 3-pointer, making her a household name not just in Iowa but across the globe.
Yet, despite her meteoric rise and the inevitable media frenzy that followed, USA Basketball had other plans. Due to Iowa’s participation in the women’s Final Four, Clark missed the Olympic training camp, leaving the selection committee with just a handful of WNBA games to assess her performance. Committee chair Jen Rizzotti was quick to clarify, “Our job wasn’t to pick the most popular players but the best team.” A nice way of saying, “Sorry, Caitlin, but we’re not swayed by your Instagram followers.”
Clark learned of her Olympic snub while on a bus ride with the Indiana Fever. Did she pout? Did she rage-tweet? No, she turned to her coach and said, “Hey coach, they woke a monster.” Classic Clark, channeling her inner Michael Jordan.
Meyer’s text, a call to embrace this new challenge, resonated deeply with Clark. After all, this wasn’t her first rodeo with rejection. Just as she did in high school and after Iowa’s shocking NCAA tournament exit, Clark seems to be using this setback as fuel for her fire. In the 15 games since her snub, she’s upped her averages to 18.2 points and 9.5 assists per game, including a record-breaking 19-assist game and a historic triple-double.
“There are few people who have watched Caitlin play as much basketball as I have,” Meyer mused, “and I’m still shocked at some of the things she can do. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, she pulls off something that makes me rewind and watch it three or four times.”
Even after leading the WNBA All-Stars to a victory over the U.S. Olympic team, Clark maintained her composure, stating it wasn’t about vindication. She’s looking forward to a well-deserved rest and to watching Team USA “dominate” without her.
No hard feelings. Just four years of pent-up motivation waiting to explode. Watch out, world—Caitlin Clark is just getting started.
