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Caitlin Clark named Time’s Athlete of the Year shares reaction to Olympics omission

Caitlin Clark named Time’s Athlete of the Year shares reaction to Olympics omission

Even as she struggled through the first month of her WNBA season, Caitlin Clark believed she would make the Team USA roster for the Paris Olympics. In an interview with Time, which named her Athlete of the Year 2024 on Tuesday, Clark explained for the first time the criticism of the national team.

Clark, a rookie sensation in the WNBA last season, became aware of USA Basketball’s decision after the Indiana Fever won, bringing their record to 3-9. During that period, Clark says, “I gave them a lot of reasons to keep me off the team with my play.” Clark averaged 16.8 points and 6.3 assists per game to start the season, but she shot 37.3 percent from the field while committing 5.8 turnovers per game.

The selection committee gave priority to veterans with more international experience. Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Sabrina Ionescu were multiple All-Star selections and had previously represented the US at the Olympic Games or the FIBA ​​World Cup. Clark agreed that it would have been difficult to remove one of those established players and include her, and she also said that she did not want to be added simply as a means to increase viewership for the games, as some fans and media called for her inclusion.

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Still, Clark’s overall body of work, dating back to her college career at Iowa, led her to believe she would still be in contention for a roster spot. Fellow WNBA No. 1 picks had made the Olympic team as rookies, including Taurasi, Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart. Clark’s college production at Iowa rivaled all those who came before her, and her WNBA appearance increased. After posting 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a win over the Washington Mystics, Clark said she texted her agent, hoping that effort would put her in the good graces of the committee.

It wasn’t enough. USA Basketball was more veteran than in previous cycles – this was the first Olympics where Carol Callan was not director of the women’s basketball program – and Clark was left on the USA side. Although she was disappointed, she said her celebrity alone should not have earned her an invitation.

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“That whole story upset me,” Clark said. “Because that’s not fair. It’s disrespectful to the people who were on the team, who deserved it and were really good. And it is also disrespectful to myself.”

Although she missed out on a gold medal, Clark’s rookie season took advantage of the month-long rest while Team USA competed and won gold in Paris. Her scoring, assists and shooting percentages all improved after the break, and Indiana went 9-5 and secured its first playoff berth in eight seasons. Playing in the Olympics remains a high priority for Clark. She said making the team by 2028 is a “huge, huge goal.” Given Clark’s rapid improvement during her first pro season, it’s hard to imagine her inclusion in 2028 will be controversial.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Indiana fever, WNBA

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