Team USA Worried About Fan Reaction If Caitlin Clark Didn’t Play
A new book has added fresh fuel to the fire over Caitlin Clark’s shocking exclusion from the 2024 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team. According to veteran journalist Christine Brennan, the decision wasn’t just about basketball; it was also about optics and fan backlash.
In “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports”, Brennan reveals that USA Basketball officials feared how fans would react if Clark rode the bench during the Paris Games. They were reportedly concerned about social media outrage on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, and didn’t want to deal with the distraction.
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Only 11 Spots Were Truly Open
Clark, then just 16 games into her rookie WNBA season with the Indiana Fever, was averaging 16.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game. She was already a fan favorite, drawing massive TV ratings and boosting attendance league-wide.
But despite the buzz, Brennan writes that there were really only 11 roster spots available. The twelfth? Automatically reserved for Diana Taurasi.
The five-time gold medalist, who was 42 at the time, was seen as a lock regardless of her on-court impact. Brennan says the sixth gold medal was treated as a “farewell present” from USA Basketball to Taurasi, one Clark couldn’t compete with.
Did Jealousy Play a Role?
Speculation swirled this summer that Clark’s WNBA peers didn’t want her on the team out of jealousy or resentment over her popularity. Brennan doesn’t go that far, but she acknowledges the tension. The organization seemed paralyzed by the pressure of managing both team chemistry and fan expectations.
Clark, for her part, took the high road, saying she respected the decision and would cheer for Team USA.
But as her star continues to rise, fans are already wondering: Will they make the same mistake in 2028?
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