Over the past few years, Caitlin Clark has captivated not only the women’s basketball world, but the sports world as a whole. Her incredible shooting range helped the University of Iowa reach consecutive national championship games, making her a household name and leading to her being selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the recent WBNA Draft. But when it came to making the U.S. women’s basketball team for the Paris Summer Olympics, she faced an uphill battle.
Now, multiple reports are suggesting Clark is likely to be left out of the final roster.
It was first reported AthleticAmong the 12 athletes expected to be selected are many with Olympic experience. AthleticPlayers expected to be selected are A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewel Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray and Kalia Copper.
Of the 12 players, seven have Olympic 5v5 experience and two more have Olympic 3v3 experience (Plum and Gray). Only Ionescu, Copper and Thomas are making their first appearance. There is a deep and talented roster, most of whom have been on the Olympic stage before.
Additionally, the guard position is well-stocked: Gray, Ionescu, Lloyd, Plum, and Young give the team five great options at the guard position.
Clark was invited to the team’s final training camp before the Summer Olympics but was unable to attend due to her involvement in the Women’s Final Four with the University of Iowa, but could theoretically remain with the team as an injury replacement. No official replacement has been announced, but available reports suggest Clark, along with Fever teammate Aaliyah Boston and Connecticut Sun forward Breonna Jones, are likely potential replacements in the event of an injury.
Gray suffered a leg injury in Game 3. WNBA She hasn’t played in the Finals and has yet to play for the Las Vegas Aces this season, but is expected to be ready in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin at the end of July, and attended the team’s training camp in Cleveland in April.
But any such changes must be made before the Olympics: players cannot be added to rosters once the games begin in Paris.
Clark played perhaps her best game in the WNBA on Friday night, scoring 30 points and hitting 7 of 13 3-pointers to help her average 16.8 points as a rookie for the Fever, who also led the league in turnovers with 67.
