After months of criticism for not selecting WNBA star Kaitlyn Clark for the Olympics, U.S. women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley suddenly acknowledged that Clark was a promising player for the U.S. team after all.
On the eve of the U.S. team’s international debut against Japan on Monday, Staley finally acknowledged that Clarke has done enough to be selected for the 2024 Olympic roster.
Staley appeared on camera on Sunday to address the criticism over Clark’s removal from the U.S. national team.
“As a member of the committee, it’s your responsibility to field a team with the best players, the best talent,” Staley tried to explain.
“Kaitlyn was a rookie in the WNBA and she didn’t play badly, but she wasn’t playing like she is now. If she had to do it over again, with the way she’s playing, I think she has a good chance of making the team because she’s so much better than the other players,” Staley exclaimed.
Dawn Staley, a member of the U.S. women’s national team selection committee, asked about Kaitlyn Clark.
“If I had to do it all over again, the way she’s played, I think she’d have a very good chance of making the team because she’s so much better than a lot of the other players.” pic.twitter.com/hMYqTsPWzc
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) July 28, 2024
“She shoots the ball really well. I mean, she’s an elite passer. She has a really high basketball IQ and she’s got a little more experience in the pro game in the last two months than she had two months ago,” Staley added.
Despite Staley’s sudden reservations about removing Clark from the U.S. Olympic team, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland defended the committee’s decision to remove the white, heterosexual athlete from Indiana from the team.
“I would say that overall, USA Basketball has gone through a very disciplined process with people who know more about the sport of women’s basketball than anyone in the world,” she said. SaidAccording to Bloomberg.
Hirschland concluded by saying the women’s team has consistently won gold medals and believes they “got it right this time.”
