With the 2024 Olympics imminent, Team USA’s women’s basketball team faces a potential shake-up due to a significant injury to one of its legendary players.
Six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, sidelined by a leg injury, has missed three of the Phoenix Mercury’s last four games and is set to miss Friday’s game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. At 42, Taurasi has continued to impress in 2024, averaging 16.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
The ambiguity surrounding Taurasi’s injury casts doubt on her Olympic availability. Should she be unable to participate, it could present a golden opportunity for Caitlin Clark, who, despite not making the primary roster, was named an alternate.
Clark’s omission from the main team sparked controversy, even drawing comments from high-ranking officials like Casey Wasserman, president of the 2028 Olympic Organizing Committee in Los Angeles. Wasserman described Clark’s exclusion as a “missed opportunity,” highlighting her as a generational talent the world was ready to embrace.
Taurasi herself had mixed feelings about Clark’s journey. While acknowledging the learning curve at higher levels of play, Taurasi stressed the importance of evolving and adapting. “College basketball is much different than the WNBA, which is different from overseas,” Taurasi noted.
Pre-draft, Taurasi had been critical of Clark, warning that “reality is coming” for the 2024 rookies who would face seasoned professionals. However, her tone shifted following the Mercury’s 88-82 loss to the Fever on June 30. Taurasi praised Clark’s achievements, calling them “remarkable” and acknowledging the significant impact Clark has had on the game.
In her debut WNBA season, Clark has dazzled with averages of 16.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game, earning an All-Star nod and recording the first rookie triple-double in league history.
As Team USA gears up for its summer quest for gold, with an unofficial start on July 20 against the WNBA All-Stars in Phoenix, the spotlight remains on Taurasi’s recovery and Clark’s potential role. The Olympic competition kicks off on July 29 against Japan in Lille, France, and whether Taurasi or Clark steps onto the court, the team’s journey promises to be riveting.
