VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France — Perhaps you’ve heard that Caitlin Clark, the early favorite for 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, isn’t at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
To those in the women’s basketball community and anyone who follows the sport closely at both the collegiate and professional levels, Clark’s exclusion from the U.S. women’s basketball roster wasn’t surprising. But to casual fans — many of whom have started following women’s basketball because of Clark and her logo 3s — her omission was an outrage and made no sense.
In their quest for a record eighth consecutive gold medal, the Americans beat Japan 102-76 in their first pool play game Monday and take on Belgium Thursday. The U.S. shot 4-for-20 from 3 against Japan and did not sell out the 27,000 seat Pierre Mauroy Stadium, so the questions around Clark’s absence — and if she should have been put on the team — were again raised.
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Clark herself is not the one driving this conversation. She said this week she “wasn’t necessarily bummed” about missing the Olympics.
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“I think the break’s definitely been good,” Clark said. “I think it gives you something to work for sure and something to dream of. Four years comes fast … you gotta start working now if you want that to be your dream. So I think that’s it for me, work hard and hopefully you can be there.”
The back-to-back national college player of the year the last two seasons, Clark is a tremendous talent who has a bright future ahead of her both in the WNBA and with USA Basketball. She is practically a lock for the 2028 team, and it’s fun to think about all the records she could break — and the crowds she will command — in LA.
But her accolades up to this point do not mean she should be on Team USA right now. Here are 10 reasons why.
1. Clark did not earn her spot
Through no fault of Clark’s own, her schedule did not line up well with Team USA’s training camp schedule. For years, USA Basketball has tried to align its Olympic training camps, which are essentially tryouts, with the Euroleague schedule since so many athletes play overseas in the winter. That means training camp takes place during Euroleague breaks.
This is not ideal for a college player’s schedule, particularly one who leads her team to back-to-back Final Fours. Clark never got a chance to play with this group, which has been together in one form or another for years.
2. Chemistry
As we saw from Clark’s first few weeks in the WNBA, it takes time to develop an on-court bond with teammates. Chemistry can’t be forced, especially overnight. Because international competitions are almost entirely based on age before the senior national team — think U-19, U-16 — Clark, 22, has never played with anyone on this roster. The Americans are heavily favored to win their eighth consecutive gold despite the disadvantage that they have barely played together this summer. Their first game wasn’t until July 21 at WNBA All-Star weekend, where they lost 117-109.
The core of this roster has been together for years — seven of the 12 players were on the Tokyo roster, and the four of the five newcomers play with other Team USA members during the WNBA season — and they still had issues with timing, defensive miscues and more in the All-Star loss.
3. Physicality
Much has been made about the physical play Clark has dealt with her rookie year, with numerous new-to-the-game fans complaining that players are dirty.
With the exception of Chennedy Carter’s hip check, which was correctly reclassified as a flagrant 1, Clark has been dealing with some good, old fashioned welcome-to-the-pros physicality. The W is a tough league full of grown women who train year round. The best teams in the league pride themselves on defense, unlike the Big Ten, which is an offense-forward conference.
Clark is a wiry 6-foot, 152 pounds, and she’s struggled at times with the physicality of professional basketball. FIBA is even more intense. In the USA’s first game against Japan, Kah Copper almost broke a rib going for a rebound, and Sabrina Ionescu got taken out by a screen. (Fortunately Copper just got the wind knocked out of her, but it leveled her for a few minutes and she sat on the bench for a long stretch.) Adjusting would be tough, and injury a concern.
4. Turnovers
You know what happens when you don’t have chemistry? Turnovers. You know what happens when you’re not used to the defensive physicality of the international game? Turnovers. You know what Caitlin Clark leads the WNBA in? Assists … and turnovers (by a lot).
Clark is at her best in transition, and loves to put on a show. This leads to some risky passes. And the Olympics are not the time for that — especially when you are expected to not only win gold, but also expected to win every game you play. Speaking of turnovers: Against Japan, Team’s USA’s starting point guard, Chelsea Gray, had just one. She also had 13 assists.
5. No senior team experience
Yes, it’s true that both Breanna Stewart, playing in her third Olympic Games, and Diana Taurasi, playing in her sixth, were named to the Olympic team right after college. But a major difference between then and now is both Stewart and Taurasi had senior national team experience. The 2016 Rio Olympics were the third major international tournament for Stewart played, and Taurasi had played in 13 exhibition games before debuting in 2004. They knew the system and had familiarity with their teammates.
6. Defense
Clark, as you might have heard, is known for offense. Defense is another story.
With the Indiana Fever, this is fine. Clark does her job, which is to distribute the ball and score points. But because the U.S. has so little time to practice together and because every opponent can do damage, scheming around a great player doesn’t really happen in international play, A’ja Wilson said recently. Help defense can be scarce, which means every player must be prepared to guard one-on-one. Opposing offenses would go right at Clark, exposing her biggest weakness.
7. USA doesn’t need her, ratings-wise
Clark has helped deliver big-time TV numbers, especially her rivalry with fellow WNBA rookie Angel Reese. But as The Athletic detailed shortly after the roster was announced, plenty of people have been tuning in to Olympic women’s basketball for years, even though it’s widely agreed upon that this USA Basketball dynasty is mostly underappreciated. The last four gold medal games have averaged more than 8 million viewers. USA-Japan drew an average of 3 million viewers Monday, more than any other game, men’s or women’s, at the Tokyo Olympics except for gold medal matches.
8. Who gets left off the roster?
If you’re going to make an argument for putting Clark on the roster, someone else is left off. So, who is that going to be? At 42, Taurasi is an easy target. But her contribution goes far beyond the stat sheet. Her teammates will be the first to say that her experience and knowledge of international teams and individual players is hugely helpful on the floor. Coach Cheryl Reeve said Monday that Taurasi is often the first person, player or coach, to recognize what the defense is doing and suggest how the U.S. should respond. Her leadership is also key. Bottom line: Clark is not a better individual all-around player than anyone on this roster.
9. She would barely play
Since Clark is not better than anyone on this roster — and arguably, not better than other guards left at home including Arike Ogunbowale, Kayla McBride, Ariel Atkins and DeWanna Bonner — she wouldn’t play much at all. Maybe the U.S. is going to roll through the tournament, but it is worth pointing out that it took a buzzer-beater to top Belgium in February’s Olympic qualifying tournament. In a tournament with this much pressure, you do not stick someone on the roster for funsies — they need to be able to contribute if another player gets hurt.
10. A generational player is not a show pony
Most of the arguments for putting Clark on the roster have come from the camp that argues she would have brought fans and helped grow the game. But someone of her talent and stature should not be reduced to a sideshow, which is exactly what would have happened had Clark come to France. A player of Clark’s caliber deserves more — like to make her Olympic debut in four years, when she will be a significant contributor, and even more well-known on the world stage.