Diana Taurasi ‘farewell present’ played part in Caitlin Clark Olympic snub

Caitlin Clark being snubbed from the Olympics last summer remains one of the most controversial decisions in recent memory, and a new detail in USA Today columnist Christine Brennan’s new book “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports” will only further that controversy. 

The women’s basketball phenom was already facing an uphill battle to make the U.S. women’s basketball team heading to Paris for the Summer Olympics, which included the fact that despite there being 12 roster spots available, one had already been promised to Diana Taurasi.

Brennan’s book reported that the roster spot and a chance for an Olympic basketball-record sixth gold medal was Taurasi’s “farewell present by USA Basketball.” 

“This meant 11 spots, not 12, were open and available. Taurasi was a lock unless she was totally injured and couldn’t play. And, frankly, she would be going even if she was a little injured and could only play sparingly,” Brennan wrote in the book. 

Taurasi, who was 42 during the Games, was moved to the bench for Jackie Young for the team’s quarterfinals game. She did not play at all in Team USA’s 67-66 win over France in the gold medal game.

Clark had been averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game through her first 16 games of her rookie WNBA season when she was passed over for a spot on the Olympic roster. 

The decision not to include her created a stir of controversy and added to calls from fans and pundits that the old guard of women’s basketball was jealous of the attention Clark had been getting. 

The book further claimed that the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee had been concerned that Clark fans would react negatively if she received limited playing time during the Olympics. 

Brennan wrote that US women’s basketball was “concerned about critical posts on X and Facebook and the like” and that “they didn’t want to deal” with people’s reactions over Clark’s playing time.

Selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti cited the group’s “basketball criteria for why Clark did not make the squad.

“Here’s the basketball criteria that we were given as a committee and how do we evaluate our players based on that?” Rizzotti told the AP at the time. “And when you base your decision on criteria, there were other players that were harder to cut because they checked a lot more boxes. Then sometimes it comes down to position, style of play for [coach Cheryl Reeve] and then sometimes a vote.”

Clark was offered a spot on the 3×3 national team by USA Basketball, but she turned down the spot.

The United States did win gold in Paris behind the efforts of A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper.