Caitlin Clark won't be going to Paris next month, but she said she's “not disappointed.” He was left off the U.S. Olympic team roster.
The Indian Fever rookie acknowledged Sunday that he was not selected to represent the U.S. team at this year's Summer Olympics.
“I think it just gives you a purpose to work for,” Clark said. Reporters after practice“It's a dream. I hope I can be there one day. I think it just gives me a little extra motivation. Remember, I hope I can be there again in four years.”
Clark, who brought millions of new basketball fans to the WNBA after a record-breaking college career, was not included on the U.S. national team roster reported by The Associated Press on Saturday. No official announcement has been made.
The Associated Press, which obtained the full roster from a person familiar with the decision, reported that the United States is expected to field a star-studded team in an attempt to win more gold medals.
The United States women have won every gold medal in women's basketball since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Team USA is expected to send five-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi to her sixth Olympic Games. Taurasi will be joined by Phoenix Mercury teammate Brittney Griner, who will be playing her first international match since serving 10 months in a Russian prison in 2022. Griner has said she will only play overseas for the Olympics.
“I'm excited for the girls that are on the team,” Clark said. “I know they're the most competitive team in the world, and I know it could have gone either way whether I was on the team or not. I'm excited for them to do well. I'm rooting for them to win the gold medal. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics. It's going to be fun to watch them do well.”
According to the Associated Press, the team also includes Olympians Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jewel Loyd and Chelsea Gray, as well as Kelsey Plumb and Jackie Young, who helped the United States win its first gold medal in the 3×3 event at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
G. Fiume/Getty Images
The team will feature a number of players making their Olympic debut, including Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu and Kalia Copper, all three of whom played on the U.S. team that won the 2022 World Cup in Australia.
Clark said she received a phone call informing her she had not been selected for this year's team.
“They called me and let me know before everything was revealed. It was a real show of respect on their part and I appreciate it,” Clark said. “They did the same for every girl that made the team and every girl that didn't make the team. There are a lot of girls in the Olympic pool. I wasn't the only one they had to call. They had to make quite a few calls.”
The United States uses a specialized selection process to determine national team roster, taking into account factors such as availability, position and versatility.
With Clarke in the U.S. national team pool, if one of the 12 players is injured and cannot play, Clarke could be selected as a replacement. Anyone in the pool is eligible to be a replacement.
