The U.S. women's basketball roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics was released over the weekend, and the selections garnered attention, mainly due to the very notable omission of Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.
Amid the backlash over Clark's neglect, Phoenix Mercury center Brittany Griner spoke to the media and shared her thoughts on what it meant to be selected for the U.S. national team this summer.
“You're representing your country,” Griner told the media, “and you're on the biggest stage. It doesn't get any higher than that. … Any time you put that red, white and blue USA flag on your chest, you know you're going to get the best attack from any country. … You're playing for bigger things, and I can't wait to get there.”
Here's what people on social media are saying:Did Diana Taurasi unseat Caitlin Clark from the 2024 Olympic team?
opinion:USA Basketball misses big opportunity by leaving Caitlin Clark off Olympic team
Social media has criticised Caitlin Clark's refusal to compete in the Olympics:
There was a lot of criticism over Clarke's exclusion from the team, with many prominent media figures slamming the United States Basketball Association's decision to not include Clarke, arguably the most famous female basketball player in the world currently, on the team.
Among those who expressed dissatisfaction with Clark's exclusion were ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, Dick Vitale, former NBA player Paul Pierce and Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports.
opinion:Passing Caitlin Clark at the Olympics was the right decision for the U.S. team and for Clark herself.
Social media has questioned Brittney Griner over Caitlin Clark's Olympic selection.
Interestingly, many on social media questioned why Griner, who only just returned to play this season after missing games with an injury, was selected for the team over Clark, with some even pointing to Griner's past comments about the national anthem as a reason why she shouldn't have been chosen over Clark (without taking into account the fact that Griner is a center and Clark is a guard).
Here are some of the submissions that were suitable for publication:
more:Britney Griner's national anthem stance sparks renewed criticism after Russian drug conviction
What Britney Griner said about the 2020 national anthem
Some of the comments mentioned in the post above are from an interview Griner gave with The Arizona Republic in 2020.
In the interview, Griner said, “I honestly don't think the national anthem should be played during the season. That's the attitude we should have. I'm not disrespecting the country. My dad was in Vietnam and he was a police officer for 30 years. I wanted to be a police officer before I played basketball. I'm proud of my country.”
Griner's 2020 comments came amid protests across the country in response to the Breonna Taylor killing and the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I'm going to protest anyway,” she told The Republic's Jeff Metcalfe in an interview on July 27, 2020. “I'm not going to come out for the anthem. If the league wants to continue to play it, that's fine. It will be for the entire season, but I'm not going to come out. I think there will probably be more people doing the same thing. I can only speak for myself.”
“At the Olympics, you understand that at that point you're playing for your country.”
“It's great to see my sisters on both sides and know that we're all in this together,” Griner continued of the WNBA's focus on social justice issues throughout this season.
more:Britney Griner's stance on the national anthem appears to have changed since returning to Phoenix Mercury
What Britney Griner said about the 2023 national anthem
But last season, Griner appeared to soften his stance on standing for the national anthem after spending about 10 months in a Russian prison.
“Hearing the national anthem definitely feels different,” Griner told reporters after standing with his teammates for the anthem before a preseason game. “It feels like you're going to the Olympics and you're sitting there with a gold medal about to be put around your neck. The flag is flying and the national anthem is playing. It feels different.”
more:LeBron James says Britney Griner should consider returning to the US
more:LeBron James clarifies Britney Griner comments amid backlash: 'I wasn't criticizing America'
Contact Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter). @Jeremy_Cluff.
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