INDIANA Fever star Caitlin Clark has high hopes for the USA women’s basketball team at the Paris Olympics.
Clark and her fellow WNBA All-Stars will face Team USA on Saturday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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This will give Clark the opportunity to show Team USA what they’ve been missing after she was controversially snubbed from their Olympic roster.
However, Clark denied that he felt any extra motivation to enter the game.
“Honestly, I’m not motivated by anything,” she said ESPN.
“I just go there to have fun. I’m not here to prove anything to anyone.
“This is my first All-Star Game. Just have fun, enjoy the experience, [and] to compete.”
Clark added that he has “a lot of respect for Team USA” and the coaching staff, calling them “the most talented team in the world.”
She also felt that once in Paris they would have “no problem winning gold”, saying she would “support and root for them”.
Team USA has won gold in the last seven consecutive Olympic Games and nine of the last 10.
In total, they have failed to win gold just twice since their first participation in 1976.
Clark added that she doesn’t harbor the “I should be on this team” mentality.
“I know I have a lot of ways to continue to improve. And that gives you motivation to have something to compete for in four years.”
The next Olympic Games will be held at home in Los Angeles.
At this point, Clark will still only be 26 years old.
As for Clark’s first All-Star weekend, she opted out of Friday’s three-point contest — an event that three-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu also declined.
“I’ve been playing basketball for a year straight, it’s not easy to just show up and shoot off the shelf,” Clark explained, via Star of India.
WNBA All-Star Lineups
The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game rosters have been announced, with the WNBA team set to face Team USA on July 20.
WNBA Team:
- DeWanna Bonner – Connecticut Sun
- Aliyah Boston – Indiana Fever
- Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever
- Allisha Gray – Atlanta Dream
- Dearica Hamby – Los Angeles Sparks
- Brionna Jones – Connecticut Sun
- Jonquel Jones – Liberty of New York
- Kayla McBride – Minnesota Lynx
- Kelsey Mitchell – Indiana Fever
- Arike Ogunbowale – Dallas Wings
- Nneka Ogwumike – Seattle Storm
- Reese’s Angel – Chicago Sky
Team USA:
- Napheesa Collier – Minnesota Lynx
- Kahleah Copper – Phoenix Mercury
- Chelsea Gray – Las Vegas Aces
- Brittney Griner – Mercury Phoenix
- Sabrina Ionescu – Freedom of New York
- Jewell Loyd – Seattle Storm
- Kelsey Plum – Las Vegas Aces
- Breanna Stewart – New York Liberty
- Diana Taurasi – Phoenix Mercury
- Alyssa Thomas – Connecticut Sun
- A’ja Wilson – Las Vegas Aces
- Jackie Young – Las Vegas Aces
“It’s not something I’ve ever done before.
“It’s not something I’ve had a lot of time to practice, I’ve been focusing on helping my team win games.”
“So I think just taking advantage of this break, I think there will be a lot of opportunities for me to do that at some point…
“I need a break and I need some time to enjoy what I want to do.”
Atlanta Dream point guard Allisha Gray ended up winning the three-point contest and skills challenge.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
