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Olympics News: Caitlin Clark’s Team USA Roster Fate Revealed

June 9, 2024


The roster for the Team USA women’s basketball squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics was revealed and had an interesting name left off the list. That would be Indiana Fever star point guard Caitlin Clark. Despite all her star power from her days with the Iowa Hawkeyes and now in Indiana, Clark didn’t make the cut. The Athletic’s Shams Charania revealed what the roster reportedly looks like without Clark on it:

Team USA likely left Clark off the roster due to her inexperience. After all, she is just a rookie in the WNBA, and the Olympic squad is probably better served to have more veteran players on the team as they go for the gold medal. The United States women’s basketball team has won the gold medal at every single Olympics since 1996, showing massive dominance over the rest of the world. Team USA is favored entering the games this year as well, given the collection of talent that the team put together.

Without Clark, Team USA still boasts a lot of great players on its roster. A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray, and Kahleah Copper round out the group, giving them some real star power to work with. The roster has a lot of continuity on it, giving Team USA a real chance to take home the top hardware again.

Caitlin Clark
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 07: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts to a call in the fourth quarter against the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on June 07, 2024 in Washington, DC….


Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images

Gray has been hurt this season so if she is unable to go, Clark could (theoretically) always replace her before the game starts. It remains to be seen what will happen. The dream isn’t fully dead for Clark this year, just unlikely.

Part of the reason Clark may have not been invited to join the team was due to her missing the club’s final training camp. She was busy playing in the Final Four with Iowa and it hurt her chances. Team USA represents a legacy basketball program and while it’s not Clark’s fault that she missed the training camp, her absence allowed others to make the cut.

Clark will have her opportunity to suit up for Team USA as she will likely make the roster the next time the Olympics roll around. For now, she just has to bide her time and allow the veterans who came before her to shine. When she does finally make her Olympic debut, it will surely be a highly-anticipated event, with eyes locked on the television to see what she does on the international level.