Caitlin Clark, the WNBA rookie sensation and all-time college scoring leader, is set to be left home when the U.S. national team travels to the Paris Olympics, a source familiar with the decision told NBC News on Saturday.
The formal announcement of Team USA’s roster has not been announced but the squad headed to the international competition will include 12 veterans, the source said.
The roster is set to include such WNBA stars as Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner, Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, the source told NBC News.
“We have not made any official announcement yet,” a Team USA spokesperson said.
The decision was first reported by the Athletic.
Clark is coming off her best game yet in her short pro career, pouring in 30 points and sinking seven three-pointers in the Indiana Fever’s 85-83 win at the Washington Mystics on Friday.
She was named the WNBA’s rookie of the month for May though her time so far in the league hasn’t been completely smooth. Her long-range shooting has been inconsistent, making 32% of her three-point attempts, and she’s been plagued by an average of more than five turnovers per game.
So absence from a Team USA roster, that’ll be seeking an eighth-consecutive gold medal for America, can certainly be justified from a pure on-the-court standpoint.
But by leaving Clark at home, USA Basketball is passing on an opportunity to add additional buzz to the competition.
Her mere presence in the WNBA has transformed the league into a hot ticket and must-see TV.
Teams have been moving to larger arenas when Indiana visits to accommodate new fans eager to spend their money on WNBA games.
Teams are even flying charter this season, a perk long sought by players that’s finally come in this time of explosive growth in the women’s game.
