Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark will reportedly not make the final 12-player USA women’s basketball team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, according to USA Today’s Christine Brennan and The Athletic.
Here is what the expected roster will look like, which will be led by Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx head coach and president of basketball operations.
Kahleah Copper
Chelsea Gray
A’ja Wilson
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
Brittney Griner
Alyssa Thomas
Napheesa Collier
Jewell Loyd
Kelsey Plum
Jackie Young
Sabrina Ionescu
The final Olympic roster isn’t only Reeves’ call. A committee that includes three women’s college basketball coaches — Dawn Staley, Seimone Augustus, Delisha Milton-Jones — as well as Jennifer Rizzotti, president of the Connecticut Sun and head coach of the U.S. women’s 3-on-3 Olympic team, and WNBA head of league operations Bethany Donaphin made the decision.
Seven players have Olympic experience at 5-on-5 while two others have played in 3-on-3 competition. Thomas, Copper and Ionescu will be the only first-time Olympians.
Of the 12 previous Olympic women’s 5-on-5 basketball tournaments, the Americans have won nine times, including the past seven gold medals dating back to Atlanta 1996.
Clark’s absence will be a story after her historic career at Iowa and her entrance in the WNBA with the Fever.
While she was unable to attend due to participating in the Final Four in March, Clark was one of 14 players to receive an invite to the U.S. national team’s final training camp.
As Brennan argued in February, having Clark on the U.S. roster would have the same effect that the WNBA is currently experiencing: more people watching and increased interest and coverage.
How many American sports fans, turning their attention to the Olympics a few days before they begin this summer, will ask this question: Is Caitlin Clark on the women’s basketball team?
Doesn’t the answer “No” sound strange?
If USA Basketball wants more eyeballs on this fabulous Olympic team, Clark will surely bring them, even if she is spending a good portion of her time on the bench — although who doesn’t want a three-point shooter and playmaker like her in international basketball?
Between opposing teams moving home games to accommodate more ticket sales to national television coverage to the league being thrown into the mainstream sports conversation — for good or bad — it’s easy to see why leaving the Clark off the roster will raise eyebrows.
The U.S. women’s national team will play against Team WNBA in the league’s All-Star Game in Phoenix on July 20 before heading to London, England, for an exhibition against Germany on July 23. They will begin Olympic competition on July 29 and face Japan, Belgium and Germany in opening-round play.