Report: Caitlin Clark expected to be left off of Team USA women's basketball roster
Despite being one of the biggest names in the WNBA right now, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever is expected to be left off of the 12-player Team USA women’s basketball roster for the upcoming Summer Olympics, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
While the roster has not been finalized officially, Charania reports that veteran selections of 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 are expected to be on the roster for Team USA.
Clark was the No. 1 overall pick coming out of Iowa this spring for the Fever. After averaging 31.6 points, 8.9 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game in her final season at Iowa, Clark has attempted to make a quick transition to the WNBA. She is currently averaging 15.6 points, 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game as a rookie, but numbers do not overcome drama in the sport right now.
A flagrant foul that was committed against Clark recently sparked controversy and discussion around the WNBA. While the sports media landscape made it one of the bigger topics in sports, Clark did her best to downplay the body check from Chennedy Carter of the Chicago Sky.
“Yea, I mean I’m not on social media. So I don’t see a lot of it. But you would be surprised,” Clark said on Friday. “I still have my TV on in my house, and I’m watching sports. You’re still aware of it and you still see it.”
Clark loves how much attention women’s basketball is getting, but she feels like people are focusing on the wrong things. She would rather there be more conversations about the basketball on the court and the great players in the league than the way she is being treated.
“My focus is basketball. Sometimes it stinks how much the conversation is outside of basketball and not the product on the floor and the amazing players that are on the floor and how good they are for their teams and how great this season has been for women’s basketball and college basketball to now the WNBA,” Clark said. “Some of the crowds are unprecedented and have never been seen before and the viewership’s amazing. But yea, I mean I try to block it out. I don’t have social media on my phone. I don’t go on it. I don’t see a lot of it.”
The Fever (3-9) are slated to face the Connecticut Sun (9-0) on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on ABC.
On3’s Matt Connolly contributed to this report