101 Days to Paris
THE CASE FOR CAITLIN CLARK:
#1 in OUR HEARTS AND #1 PICK CAITLIN CLARK
Caitlin Clark owned New York City this weekend from appearing on SNL to being the #1 pick at the WNBA Draft to the Indiana Fever.
To borrow a quote from SNL’s great host Christopher Walken - AMERICA HAS CAITLIN CLARK FEVER and the only PRESCRIPTION IS MORE CAITLIN CLARK.
While in New York, Clark went on the Today Show and discussed her Olympic dream to play for Team USA
YOU ARE NOT ALONE CAITLIN… TEAM USA FANS WANT YOU ON THE OLYMPIC TEAM TOO.
NBC Spokesperson was quoted to Front Office Sports “Caitlin’s impact on viewership is undeniable and historic.” re if Caitlin Clark was named to Team USA for Paris.
As Caitlin Clark mania swept the Big Apple - it was the first day of the Team USA Media Summit also in New York City. Much of the focus was on Caitlin Clark as even the athletes named to Team USA (or likely to be named) as Team USA put out a clip of USWNT members recruiting Clark to the soccer team to most of their social media platform.
United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland was asked about Caitlin Clark and responded with talking about the fairness of the USA Basketball roster selection process.
“One of our goals and clear areas of focus is fairness,” “It’s the single most important thing to athletes. We ask them questions and survey–a level playing field and fairness is at the top every time.
I would argue the delay by Team USA to name the Paris 2024 team has put Clark to some un-FAIR question if she belongs on the team. In hindsight, USA Women’s Basketball should have named the 12 person team in April during the Final Four in Cleveland (the most watch Final Four ever thanks in large part to Caitlin Clark).
By all historical measures, Caitlin Clark has done enough to make the team (all the stats below are from 2000 Olympics and beyond since WNBA was formed in 1997)
Clark won back to back player of the year titles in Women’s College Basketball.
✅All college players who won two player of the year titles in the same Olympic quad cycle have made the team
Breanna Stewart (2014, 2015, 2016)
Maya Moore (2009, 2011)
Diana Taurasi (2003, 2004)
Chamique Holdsclaw (1998, 1999)
✅The reigning college player of the year/WNBA Draft Pick #1 have always made the team
2016: Breanna Stewart
2008: Candace Parker
2004: Diana Taurasi
The only Olympics where the reigning college player of the year did not make the team they went back to college 2000 (Tamika Catchings), 2012 (Britney Griner), 2021 (Paige Bueckers). They all had some unique circumstances -
Griner would have likely made team but decided not to participate due to personal matters
Sydney 2000 Olympics were held in the fall during Catchings’ senior year at Tennessee
Paige Bueckers is the only freshman ever to win the Player of the Year award (in women’s CBB) so was significantly younger than rest of team.
As USA basketball delayed the roster - Clark had to face some UN-fair trash talk from UCONN grads who went from college player to Team USA and could be Team USA teammates in Paris at the Final Four. Stewart took a swipe at Clark’s collegiate career if Iowa didn’t win a title and Taurasi issued “ Reality is coming” for Clark when she joins the WNBA immediately after Iowa defeated UCONN in the Final Four.
Team USA fans want to see Caitlin Clark in Paris 2024 and I think USA Basketball should name the team ASAP stick with their historical precedent of putting the best college basketball player on the planet on the team. USA Basketball should be selling Caitlin Clark Team USA jerseys ASAP. Anything else would make me question just how FAIR - Team USA is in naming a team for Paris 2024.
UPDATE MEN’S ROSTER FOR USA BASKETBALL LEAKS:
USA Men’s Basketball team started to deliver jerseys to Team USA members and those the names of who made that team have started to leak
Team USA brings back 5 players from Tokyo GOLD medal team including 4 of starting 5: Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Jrue Holiday and top two scorers: Durant and Jayson Tatum
4 NBA MVPS will make up the roster as Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid will make their Olympic debut for Team USA while Lebron James and Durant return for their fourth Olympics. 2 time Defensive player of the year Kawhi Leonard also looks to make his Olympic debut and is the leading player for the 12th and open spot per Shams Charania.
Perennial NBA All-Star Anthony Davis makes his return to the Olympic team for the first time since London 2012 (as does Lebron James) as Team USA will need Embiid, Adebayo, and Davis to match up versus France’s formidable inside presence of Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama.
2 players right now make up the team from Team USA’s young team that finished 4th in the 2023 World Cup - guards Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton. Edwards was Team USA’s leading scorer while Haliburton lead the team in three pointers made. According to Shams Charania- members of that team Paolo Banchero, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, along with Paul George are being considered for the final spot and it wouldn’t be surprising if any of these younger players from last year World Cup team are added if some of the original 12 named back out to an injury sustained in the NBA playoffs starting this week.