Delaware-born actor Aubrey Plaza has found herself in the middle of a sports drama after superstar Kaitlyn Clark was left off the women's national basketball team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Plaza appeared in a Team USA commercial that was released on Tuesday, June 11, when basketball fans were introduced to the 12-player roster for the U.S. women's team.
Clark was not on the list.
“I don't know if you've heard, but women's basketball is on fire right now, and it's not going away anytime soon,” Plaza said while promoting the Olympics.
Caitlin Clark fans criticize Aubrey Plaza's Instagram account
The “Megalopolis” star was just a message-giver. Now she's an innocent bystander in the comments section of her own Instagram, which has become a battleground for angry basketball fans blaming Team USA for not including Clark on the team.
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“Truth be told, women's basketball is getting attention because of Clark,” one fan argued.
“Why is everyone talking about the WNBA these days? Ah it's all because of the players who didn't make the team!” raged another.
“No good CC, I don't think I or millions of others will watch it,” a third person chimed in.
Who is Caitlin Clark?
After her record-setting career at the University of Iowa drew millions of fans, Clark took that fan base to the Indiana Fever, where she was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft in April.
During her collegiate years, Clark became a household name, known for her phenomenal scoring, dynamic passing and competitive spirit. Her star power became known as the “Caitlin Clark Effect,” which brought unprecedented attention to women's basketball and women's sports in general.
Clark helped the WNBA set a record this spring by drawing 2.45 million viewers to watch her draft on ESPN, nearly five times the viewership of the 2023 draft (512,000), according to Sportico, and a 307% increase over the previous record (601,000) set in 2004, when Diana Taurasi was drafted No. 1 overall.
The “Kaitin Clark effect” didn't end with the draft.
The WNBA kicked off its 28th season in May and the league recorded its highest opening month attendance in 26 years, along with the highest season opening viewership across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, ION and NBA TV, the WNBA announced in a press release on June 10.
Clark is averaging 16.3 points per game for the Fever, good for 15th in the league. She's by far the most popular player in the WNBA, but she's not the best. The rookie is experiencing growing pains with a struggling team that is 3-10.
Why was Caitlin Clark left off the Olympic team?
Jen Rizzotti, chair of the U.S. team selection committee, explained why Clark was left off the Olympic team.
“Here's the basketball criteria we're given as a committee. How do we evaluate players based on that,” Rizzotti said in an interview with The Associated Press. “When you make a decision based on criteria, some players are harder to cut because they fit more criteria. And sometimes it comes down to the position, sometimes it comes down to Cheryl (Reeve)'s style of play and sometimes it comes down to voting.”
Caitlin Clark reacts to not being selected for US national team
Regarding not being selected for the U.S. national team, Clark shared his reaction to media outlets, including Delaware Online/The News Journal sister publication IndyStar.com, on Sunday, June 9.
“I'm excited for the girls on the team. I know they're the most competitive team in the world and I think it could have gone either way,” Clark said. “I'm rooting for them to win the gold medal.”
Who was selected to the Olympic team before Clark?
The 12 women selected for the U.S. team are Napheesa Collier, Kaalia Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewel Lloyd, Kelsey Plumb, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas, A'ja Wilson and Jackie Young.
The U.S. team will play Japan on July 29 at 3:00 p.m. EDT and the match will be broadcast on NBC.
Fans want Aubrey Plaza to make the Olympic team
Not everyone on Plaza's Instagram page was upset that Clark was left off the U.S. team: some thought it was a good decision, while others were indifferent.
“If you don't want to watch the Olympics, that's your fault. I'm sitting on my couch wearing a USA uniform,” the Instagram user explained.
“Everyone who complains about CC's arrest should be grateful she was left out because she would have been in danger,” the basketball fan said.
“Aubrey Plaza should have been on the team!” said one of the actress' cheerleaders.
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Aubrey Plaza loved basketball as a kid
Plaza is a top-tier actress who loves basketball, so it makes sense that she could be a part of promoting Team USA.
The “White Lotus” star appeared in the 2016 basketball documentary “The Pistol Shrimps,” which chronicled her time participating in a women's recreational league in Los Angeles made up of actresses, musicians, writers, comedians and mothers.
The same year the film was released, she told ABC that she fell in love with basketball while growing up in Small Wonder.
“I played in the church league in Delaware. Kudos to the state of Delaware.”
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