Team USA Committee Chair Fires Subtle Shade At Caitlin Clark
The fallout from Team USA not selecting Caitlin Clark to the Olympics team has been polarizing. Some fans are upset that she didn't make the cut, while others could not be more excited.
It's yet another clear sign of how the WNBA and women's basketball fans have accepted or shunned the former Iowa and NIL superstar.
For years, the WNBA has been attempting to garner more national attention. The gap between the NBA and WNBA was massive. Clark has helped change the game when it comes to the audience of the WNBA.
Unfortunately, now that the league is getting the attention it has been seeking, they are hating on the player who brought them the eyes. WNBA players have constantly said negative things to undermine Clark and the league itself seems to be officiating her differently from other players.
Whether those things are true or not is a matter of opinion. But what is a fact is that Clark is talked about in a very different way than any other WNBA player has been talked about.
After missing out on making the Olympics, Team USA selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti took a subtle shot at Clark.
“It wasn’t the job of our committee to decide how many people would watch… It was our job to create the best team.”
Team USA selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti on leaving Caitlin Clark off Olympic roster:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 11, 2024
“It wasn’t the job of our committee to decide how many people would watch… It was our job to create the best team.”
(via @AP, h/t @YahooSports) pic.twitter.com/rqb04v5klF
Was it an intention shot fired at Clark by Rizzotti? That can't be determined. But, Clark was more than talented enough to make the team.
It could very well be the latest in a long line of derogatory comments about Clark from members of the professional women's basketball community.
Despite all of the shade and hate Clark has received, she has taken the high road. She is simply focused on doing her best to impact the Indiana Fever on the court.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what kind of WNBA career Clark puts together when everything is said and done. A lot seems to be going against her, but her talent will rise above all the negativity.
EVAN MASSEY
Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers both the NFL and NBA. He has worked for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net, and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.