The 2024 Paris Olympics is right around the corner and the U.S. women’s basketball team is gearing up to make its official picks for its star-studded roster.
The nine-time gold medalists will return to the international stage on July 29 in Group C alongside Germany, Japan and Belgium. The U.S. team, undefeated since 1996, stands as an unrivaled powerhouse in the realm of international women’s basketball.
While the official 12-player roster has not been officially revealed yet, one name that is reported to be left off the Olympics women’s roster is Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes standout is coming off of a sensation collegiate career where she became the Division I all-time leading scorer and won two National Player of the Year Awards.
Why is Clark reportedly being omitted from the roster? Let’s delve into the possible reasons and the criteria for the official roster selection:
How is it possible Caitlin Clark was left off the U.S. national team?
When Clark and Iowa booked a spot in the NCAA Final Four, it just so happened to be when the U.S. national team’s final training camp was held.
Clark, who was one of the 14 players to receive the invitation, had to turn down the prestigious invite.
This could have affected Clark’s chances of making the team at the Summer Games because there are players who have put in numerous years of hard work to serve the U.S. national program and attended the camp.
While these camps are not mandatory, they surely make an impact when the selection committee determines who is on the men’s and women’s national teams.
Another reason Clark could be missing the team is due to her slow WNBA start.
Team USA is classically a collection of the strongest basketball players in the world. Oftentimes, these players have experience playing together and winning championships whether it is in the WNBA or on the Olympics stage.
While Clark is carving out an impressive rookie season, becoming the first player to achieve 200 points and 75 assists within just 12 games, some of her other statistics have not met expectations.
Star Iowa basketball guard Caitlin Clark was one of 14 players selected to the U.S. women’s basketball training camp roster.
What are the steps to make the U.S. women’s basketball roster for Paris 2024?
Players must go through a series of steps to increase their chances of playing on the national team in Paris.
- Performance: Players must consistently perform at a high level in their respective leagues, especially the WNBA, to get noticed by the selection committee.
- Invitation: Based on their performance, players may receive an invitation to participate in the USA Basketball National Team’s training camp.
- Training Camp: During the training camp, players undergo rigorous training and evaluation by the coaching staff.
- Exhibition Games: Players may also participate in exhibition games to showcase their skills against other national teams or select teams.
- Selection: The USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee reviews the players’ performances.
- Final Decision: The women’s basketball committee makes the final decision on the roster, which is then subject to approval by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
Who determines the U.S. women’s national team?
The roster is selected by the women’s basketball committee.
This includes South Carolina coach and former U.S. coach Dawn Staley, LSU assistant Seimone Augustus, Old Dominion coach Delisha Milton-Jones, Connecticut Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti and WNBA head of league operations Bethany Donaphin.
Who is projected to be on the U.S. women’s national team?
The team will reportedly feature Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, Brittney Griner, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu.