The decision by the selection committee to exclude Caitlin Clark from Team USA’s roster for the Paris Olympics sparked controversy, with one young fan expressing their dissatisfaction with the call.
A devoted Caitlin Clark supporter cautioned the U.S. women’s basketball team that they would require the overlooked Indiana Fever standout to defeat Japan in their opening match at the Paris Olympics.
The former college point guard from Iowa was omitted from Team USA’s lineup for the Games amidst a decision that has stirred controversy. Despite her strong performance in the WNBA this season, averaging 7.1 points and leading with 8.2 assists per game, the 22-year-old was not chosen to represent her country in Paris.
Nevertheless, as the team faced Japan, a fan displayed a sign declaring: “You need Caitlin Clark to beat us.”
Team USA, led by A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, triumphed with a 102-76 victory over Japan to commence their Olympic journey successfully, aiming to secure an eighth consecutive gold medal.
Although Clark’s absence was noticeable, Team USA extended their Olympic winning streak to 56 games, dating back to Barcelona 1992. Looking ahead, they will face Belgium in Group C as they strive to maintain their dominance in Paris.
Despite not making the Olympic team, Clark responded positively, using the setback as motivation for her future endeavors. “I think it just gives you something to work for,” she shared.
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“It’s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little more motivation,” Clark stated, looking forward to the next Olympics. “You remember that. Hopefully when four years comes back around [at the LA Olympics in 2028], I can be there. I’m excited for the girls that are on the team.”
“I know it’s the most competitive team in the world, and I know it could have gone either way of me being on the team or me not being on the team. I’m excited for them. Going to be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics. It’ll be fun to watch them.”
Clark added: “They called me and let me know before everything came out, which was really respectful of them, and I appreciate that. They did the same for every girl that made the team or every girl that didn’t make the team. There’s a lot of players in the Olympic pool. It wasn’t like I was the only one they had to call. They had to make quite a few calls.”
