Caitlin Clark's USA Olympics Absence Only Emphasized Her Current Excellence

Team USA's struggles at guard in the Olympics only emphasized how good Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark already is.

Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Team USA did not need Caitlin Clark to win yet another Olympics gold. The US women's national basketball team won an eighth consecutive gold medal and a 61st straight game in Olympic competition without Clark being on the roster.

But it is certainly easy to argue the victory over France would have come easier had CC been on the squad, and it is hard to take the idea the best American guards were part of the squad seriously after watching the action across the games in Paris.

Which begs one question for me, why do we have to wait to proclaim Clark a top player in women's basketball and the WNBA? It seems as if there is some unspoken need to pretend Caitlin isn't as good as she already is. Even though praising her abilities is not the same as disrespecting any other players or accomplished W veterans.

Kahleah Copper for instance was terrific down the stretch for Team USA. But they needed a shot in the arm from her given the initial Olympic starting back court of Chelsea Gray and Diana Taurasi struggled to produce anything offensively in Paris. Which is why Jackie Young's contributions were also crucial after she was moved into the starting lineup.

So both Copper and Young deserve their flowers. However, what they provided being so necessary only showcased that there were some players on the squad who are currently not amongst the 12-best the USA has to offer and that there was a hole at point guard in the roster construction.

That brings us to Clark. While the US was struggling with France, many fans pointed out how what she brings could have helped the team.

But for whatever reason there still seems to be some resistance to acknowledging how excellent the Indiana Fever rookie is right now. I'm sorry, but it is ok to say that Clark is already elite.

https://t.co/w3cp72V5Ir pic.twitter.com/dFbVx0Zksz

— Kazeem Famuyide 🇳🇬 🍎 (@Kazeem) August 11, 2024

She is currently tied for second in FanDuel's MVP odds behind A'ja Wilson. That as Caitlin is generating more points than any other player in the W when it comes to her own scoring or buckets off her passes. Clark is also pacing to break the single season assists record. And she is top 25 in the league in points, rebounds, blocks and steals as well. None of those things are imaginary or media generated.

So what exactly does she still need to prove in order to be considered elite? More time must pass just because? Because if you watch her passing it is already plain to see CC is the best playmaker in the game.

None of this should make Team USA's latest triumph any less sweet. But it does emphasize that there may have been overcorrection when it comes to Clark. Her hype doesn't mean everyone has to wait before recognizing basketball reality.