Quite some time ago, the sporting world became divided because WNBA star Caitlin Clark wasn’t included in Team USA’s lineup for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This led Sarah Hirshland, the Olympic Committee CEO, to explain why the Indiana Fever rookie was snubbed.
The decision by Team USA to exclude Clark from the Olympic roster has sparked widespread controversy and disappointment. The Fever rookie, who was recently drafted into the WNBA and has already made a significant impact on the sport, was seen as a natural fit for the national team given her immense talent and star power.

Some saw this snub as defying logic, as the U.S. women’s basketball team is already dominant on the global stage and could likely win gold without the need for its best players. Moreover, this decision may not be about winning, but rather about control and a narrow-minded approach to the sport’s growth and popularity, as some concluded.
Clark’s absence from the Olympics is particularly troubling given the transformative year she has had, drawing in new audiences and generating unprecedented excitement around the WNBA. Her omission is seen as a missed opportunity to further elevate the sport and showcase its rising stars on the world’s biggest stage.
United States Olympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland Explains WNBA Star Caitlin Clark Snub

More than a month after the final Team USA roster was announced, Hirshland came forth to shed some light on the matter. In an article written by Brendon Kleen for Awful Announcing, there’s a good reason why the Fever star was not included.
“I think what you have to recognize is that the selection process for an Olympic of Paralympic games is a multiyear process,” Hirshland said on the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast. “USA Basketball in this instance, the governing body for the sport of basketball here in the U.S., has been underway in a process that’s very clearly defined and set out, and they bring a group of … women together over the course of many years.”
Even without Clark, Team USA is still projected to win the gold in this year’s Olympics. Among those included in the lineup were Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi, Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier, Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, and New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu, among others.

It remains to be seen how Team USA’s team of female hoopers will fare in Paris without Clark. Even if that’s the case, expect the Indiana star to work his way to the team when the next Olympics come around.

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