Caitlin Clark won’t be heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. USA Today columnist Christine Brennan reported Saturday that Clark’s massive fanbase factored into USA Basketball’s decision to omit the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft from its roster.
“US basketball veterans with decades of experience in the women’s game told USA Today Sports that concern over how Clark’s millions of fans would react to what would likely be limited playing time on a stacked roster was a factor in the decision making,” Brennan released on social media. “If true, that would be an extraordinary admission that (Clark) has caused for the old guard of women’s basketball. The two people spoke of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.”
A chorus of national voices responded to Brennan’s report, including The Hawkeye Insider’s David Eickholt.
“Absolutely ridiculous if that played a factor in Clark not being selected to the Olympic Team,” Eickholt posted on social media. “Amazing how they continue to botch this.”
Brennan responded: “Having covered the Olympics for 40 years, I’ve seen some bad team and athlete selection decisions. This is the worst. Makes absolutely no sense for a women’s sport that would have been catapulted onto the world stage in the greatest way possible with Clark.”
Legendary UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma called Clark’s fanbase “delusional” during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show this week.
“If you’re a great college player like Caitlin was, the delusional fan base that follows her disrespected the WNBA players by saying that she’s going to go in that league and tear it apart,” Auriemma said. “These people are so disrespectful and so unknowledgeable and so stupid that it gives women’s basketball a bad name. So, the kid was set up for failure right from the beginning. She talks a lot of s***, and she gets a lot of s*** back. She’s just not built for the physicality of this league, and she’s not quick enough to get away from the physicality.”
Clark has endured ups and downs during the first 12 games of her WNBA career with the Indiana Fever but still ranks No. 13 on the league’s regular season scoring list. She’s averaging 16.8 points, 6.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 37.3% from the field and 32.7% from the three-point line. Her shooting splits and league-worst 5.6 turnovers per game have been the main knocks on her game through the first third of her rookie season.
Clark has had multiple controversies erupt in the last week. The former Iowa star made headlines after Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter shoulder-checked her to the ground during a 71-70 Fever win on June 1. The play resulted in a flagrant foul and viral backlash. ESPN host Pat McAfee had to publicly apologize to Clark three days later after calling her a “white b****” on air.