Paris, Here They Come… Almost
With the 2024 Paris Olympics on the horizon, Team USA women’s basketball is ready to strut their stuff on the world stage. However, there’s one star player who won’t be flashing her moves under the Eiffel Tower lights: Caitlin Clark, the rookie phenom from the Indiana Fever. Yes, you read that right. The same Caitlin Clark who turned college courts into her personal playground is staying home.
Rookie No More, But Still Not Enough?
Clark’s debut WNBA season has been nothing short of impressive. She’s been dropping buckets like they’re going out of style, making it hard to believe that she wasn’t among the chosen dozen for the Parisian escapade. But here we are, and opinions are more mixed than a questionable cocktail.
Dawn Staley’s Crystal Ball Glitch
In a chat with NBC’s Mike Tirico, Dawn Staley, head coach of South Carolina and a key member of the U.S. selection committee, spilled the tea. “Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA. She wasn’t playing bad, but she wasn’t playing like she’s playing now. If we had to do it all over again, the way she’s playing, she’d be in really high consideration of making the team because she is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people.”
Translation: We goofed. If only our crystal ball had been a bit clearer.
Stats Don’t Lie, But Maybe the Selection Committee Did
Let’s take a quick peek at Clark’s rookie stats: 17.1 points, 8.2 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game with a 41/33/89 shooting split. Not bad for a rookie, right? But apparently, not enough to sway the selection committee back in the day. Now, we’re left wondering if they were more into reading tea leaves than stat sheets.
A Lineup to Drool Over
Team USA isn’t exactly suffering from a lack of talent. The roster reads like a who’s who of women’s basketball: Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, Brittney Griner, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, and Sabrina Ionescu. It’s an all-star cast that could intimidate even the most seasoned competitors.
Clark’s Olympic Dream: Deferred, Not Denied
For now, Clark’s Olympic debut will have to wait until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Unless, of course, someone on the current squad needs a last-minute replacement. In which case, Clark will be ready to swoop in like a basketball superhero.
The Games Must Go On
As the team gears up for their first pool game against Japan on Monday, July 29 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT, fans are left to ponder what could have been with Clark on the court. But hey, if this rookie season is any indication, she’ll be lighting up scoreboards and breaking ankles for years to come.
So here’s to the games ahead and the endless debate over selections. Let the Olympics begin – and may the best team (with or without Caitlin Clark) win!