Caitlin Clark talks Team USA hopes; Cheryl Reeve dismisses Olympics question

MINNEAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark’s goals haven’t changed: She wants to play in the Olympics one day.

Clark not only helped her squad stay in the WNBA playoff race with a strong finish in the Indiana Fever’s 81-74 victory at Minnesota on Sunday, but did so against a Lynx team coached by the leader of the U.S. women’s national team, Cheryl Reeve.

Clark and Aliyah Boston, who recorded her 20th career double-double, both thrived in front of Reeve, who leads an Olympic squad that will head to Paris in pursuit of a gold medal.

Clark, who was left off the national team’s roster this year, said Sunday the Olympics are still her “dream.”

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“That’s what you dream of as a young kid, getting to represent your country,” Clark, who finished with 17 points and six assists in her first WNBA game in Minneapolis, said. “And, obviously, me and [Boston] having the experience of playing for the junior national team, we know how fun that is and how cool that is to wear ‘USA’ across your chests.”

That said, Clark acknowledged her priority is to continue to grow as a player.

“It gives you something to work for, something to dream for,” she said. “Also, I feel like I can continue to get a lot better and for me, that’s my main focus and that’s what excites me the most going forward.”

Prior to Sunday’s game, however, Reeve seemingly had no interest in discussing Clark’s status as a potential member of a future national team.

“Why the hell would I answer a national team question?” Reeve said. Her Lynx are now 2-2 in their past four games without MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, sidelined by a foot injury since July 4.

“I’m wearing Lynx. And I’m the head coach of the national team, but I’m not the chair of the committee. Anybody want to venture into anything else?”

The sellout crowd at Target Center was filled with fans who sported Iowa jerseys, T-shirts and other gear in support of former Hawkeyes star Clark. Those Iowa fans also flooded First Avenue’s bars and restaurants hours before tipoff.

Asked before the game about the potential for a pro-Fever crowd, Reeve joked, “I don’t give two s—s,” with a laugh before following up, “Not even one s—” when prompted by the reporter.

When the Fever sealed the win late, the building erupted, having made Target Center sound like an opposing arena for the Lynx all afternoon.

Down by seven points entering the fourth quarter, Clark helped the Fever orchestrate a 14-5 run that changed the game in Indiana’s favor. She had 10 points and two assists in the fourth quarter.

Clark made some good and bad history in Minneapolis, where she said she has fond memories of taking trips with her dad in elementary school to see the Lynx play.

With six turnovers Sunday, Clark now has 139 this season, the most by a player in a single season in WNBA history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. But she also passed Sue Bird for No. 2 in assists by a WNBA rookie (194).

Boston said the Fever — now seventh in the WNBA’s playoff seedings after going 4-2 in their past six games — have found their chemistry at the right moment.

Like Clark, Boston said she also hopes to make the U.S. women’s national team one day.

“That’s definitely a goal of mine,” Boston said. “People dream of being an Olympian and that’s one of mine. Coach Reeves is the head coach, and for me, I’ll just continue to work hard and do what I need to do to get on that team.”