USA Basketball has officially announced its roster for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The 12-player squad was revealed on Tuesday, four days after it was first leaked.
3
3
The biggest headline to come from the casting reveal, which was first reported by ESPNIt wasn’t who was included, but who wasn’t.
Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, who has helped lead the WNBA’s rise in popularity since being drafted for the first time out of Iowa in April, has been left off the team.
The decision to omit Clark was extremely controversial, sparking heated debates on shows like ESPN’s First Take, as well as countless comments on social media.
Clark was gracious in addressing the decision for the first time in an interview with reporters on Sunday.
“I’m excited for the girls who are on the team,” she said.
“I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could have happened either way, whether I was on the team or not.
“I’m excited for them, I’m going to root for them to win the gold.”
After days of silence on the matter, USA Basketball finally addressed the decision not to include Clark.
“When you base your decision on criteria, there were other players that were more difficult to cut because they checked a lot more boxes,” Women’s Selection Committee Chair Jennifer Rizzotti told The Associated Press, via ESPN.
“So sometimes it all comes down to the position, the playing style of the [coach] Cheryl [Reeve]and sometimes a vote.”
Rizzotti’s explanation came two months after she left the door open for Clark to make the Olympic roster in an interview with the Associated Press, according to Fox Sports.
“You always want to introduce new players to the group, whether now or in the future,” she said.
“We maintain our talent principles, obviously, positional fit, loyalty and experience.
“It has to be a combination of a whole body of work. It still won’t be fair for some people.”
It appears Clark’s “work” since arriving in the WNBA hasn’t been enough, averaging 16.3 points, 6.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 13 games for the 3-10 Fever.
While Clark may not have been selected, fellow guards Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Diana Taurasi and Chelsea Gray made the cut.
The remaining stars in the lineup were forwards Napheesa Collier, Alyssa Thomas and Breanna Stewart, as well as centers Brittney Griner and A’ja Wilson.
Paris will mark Taurasi’s sixth Olympic Games, having won gold in each of her previous attempts.
Ionescu, Copper and Thomas will make their Olympic debuts in France.
Taurasi and Gray’s selections were perhaps the most eyebrow-raising of this group, with the former turning 42 before the Olympics, and the latter having yet to compete this season.
However, Taurasi, who was selected to an Olympic roster as a WNBA rookie in 2004, believes Clark will find her groove and overcome any disappointment she may feel in the long run.
“The goal of the game of basketball is to evolve. It’s about feeling comfortable in your surroundings,” she said. USA today.
“College basketball is very different from the WNBA and abroad.
“Each one is almost like a different dance that you need to learn.
“And once you learn the steps and the rhythm and have a skill set superior to everyone else, everything else will fall into place.”
3
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
