Golden State Warriors’ very own loudspeaker, Draymond Green, is at it again, folks. And this time, his target isn’t a player, coach, or even the refs. No, this time, Draymond has taken aim at Team USA women’s basketball, and boy, did he let them have it on his ‘Draymond Green Show’.
Green, who never met a microphone he didn’t like, went off on the powers-that-be for leaving WNBA rookie sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese off the roster for the Paris 2024 Olympics. “Caitlin Clark should’ve been on this team,” Green thundered. “It’s great for the brand and let’s not…We talk brand any other time.” You could practically hear the collective eye roll of the USA Basketball selection committee.
Draymond, ever the branding guru, seems to think that leaving out Clark and Reese is akin to forgetting the secret sauce in a Big Mac. He argued that Caitlin Clark’s absence from the Olympic squad is a lost opportunity to further promote U.S. women’s basketball globally. But hold up—Team USA is currently riding a 60-game winning streak, having just steamrolled Australia 85-64 to secure a spot in the Olympic final. Who needs branding when you’re already smashing records, right?
Not so fast, says Green. Sure, the roster is packed with WNBA heavyweights like A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Sabrina Ionescu. But according to Draymond, none of them bring the star power of Caitlin Clark. “I think A’ja Wilson is gonna be the GOAT, but just from a pure branding and marketing standpoint, Caitlin is the biggest.” Yep, because nothing says “GOAT” like being overshadowed by a rookie in the marketing department.
Let’s Talk Numbers (and Why Draymond Might Be Onto Something)
Now, here’s where things get interesting. The Indiana Fever, who were lucky enough to snag Clark as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft, have seen an 889% increase in projected revenue. 889%! That’s not just a boost; that’s a turbocharged rocket to the moon. Oh, and by the way, Fever’s home games are selling out like they’re giving away free Teslas at halftime.
And it’s not just about butts in seats. The WNBA All-Star Game this year pulled in 3.44 million viewers—more than double the previous record. So yeah, Draymond might actually have a point when he says Team USA missed a chance to put women’s basketball on the global map in a big way.
Rookies Who Play Like Veterans
But don’t think for a second that Clark and Reese are just marketing gimmicks. These rookies have been playing like seasoned vets. Reese, for example, put up 15 straight double-doubles, smashing Candace Parker’s record into tiny little pieces. And Clark? She set the WNBA on fire by dishing out 19 assists in a game against the Dallas Wings, leaving Courtney Vandersloot’s record in the dust.
So yeah, when you’ve got rookies putting up numbers like that, it’s easy to see why Draymond is scratching his head and wondering, “What in the world was the selection committee thinking?”
Why Weren’t They Picked? Spoiler: It’s More Complicated Than You Think
But before you grab your pitchforks and start storming the Team USA headquarters, let’s take a step back. WNBA legend Lisa Leslie—who probably knows a thing or two about winning—explains that the Olympic selection process is about more than just who can drop the most dimes or grab the most boards. It’s about chemistry, people! And sometimes, it’s about who showed up to the right camps. Caitlin and Angel were busy prepping for March Madness while the rest of the hopefuls were attending Olympic prep camp. Oops.
Rumor has it the committee leaned toward experience, opting for veterans over flashy newcomers. So while Clark and Reese were busy breaking records, the committee was busy making sure the locker room vibes were just right.
The What-Ifs of Paris 2024
Will Team USA still win gold? Probably. But let’s face it, the question of what could have been will linger like a bad referee call. With Clark and Reese out of the picture, we’ll never know if the team could have been even more dominant—or at least more entertaining.
So there you have it, folks. Draymond Green has spoken, and as always, it’s up to you to decide whether he’s the voice of reason or just the loudest guy in the room. Either way, we’re here for the show.
