Caitlin Clark Reveals Raw Reaction to Team USA Olympics Snub
Caitlin Clark was named the Time Magazine Athlete of the Year for 2024 on December 10.
There were many fascinating aspects of the feature article of Clark that was released along with the announcement, such as the adoration that Clark has for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce being mutual.
In addition, the Time Magazine article discusses a chapter of Clark's historic 2024 that she probably prefers to forget: being snubbed from the Team USA Paris Olympics squad.
Much has already been made about nearly everyone's reactions to Clark not making the Team USA Paris roster — except that of Clark, who kept her true emotions close to her chest once the decision was made.
But the Time article shed light on this time in Clark's life, and fans learned she wanted to go to Paris more than she led on.
"In Indiana’s first game back, Clark hit seven three-pointers en route to a 30-point game and a Fever victory. On the bus, Clark texted her agent that she hoped that performance helped her case to make the Olympic team for Paris. Clark’s agent responded immediately: I have to call you," the article wrote.
“'And I’m like, ‘Sh-t,'' says Clark."
"The news, predictably, was unpleasant: the Olympic roster was about to leak, and Clark wasn’t on it. USA basketball officials hopped on a call with Clark. 'They were like, ‘Yeah, we haven't selected you. Obviously, we think the world of how you play and blah, blah, blah.'' She wasn’t really listening. She knew she was good enough to be on the team. And she had heard rumblings that she would be."
The article continued, saying, "At the same time, she understood the decision. The 12 players selected included many future Hall of Famers and Olympic veterans. 'A point everybody was making was like, ‘Who are you taking off the team?’' Clark says. 'And that was a tremendous point.' Clark also admits that during her early stretch for the 3-9 Fever, 'I gave them a lot of reasons to keep me off the team with my play.'"
Time's Sean Gregory wrote, "The gist of the pro-Clark case: women’s basketball missed a golden marketing opportunity to grow the sport, given Clark’s popularity. It’s an argument that Clark wholly rejects. 'I don’t want to be there because I’m somebody that can bring attention,' says Clark. 'I love that for the game of women’s basketball. But at the same time, I want to be there because they think I’m good enough. I don’t want to be some little person that is kind of dragged around for people to cheer about and only watch because I’m sitting on the bench. That whole narrative kind of upset me. Because that is not fair. It’s disrespectful to the people that were on the team, that had earned it and were really good. And it’s also disrespectful to myself.'”
“Heard rumblings that she would be” talk soon pic.twitter.com/7LeRvKqbVA
— correlation (@nosyone4) December 10, 2024
It's fascinating to hear Clark convey that she was more upset about the snub than she initially led on.
And now fans will need to wait until 2028 to see Clark in a Team USA Olympics jersey.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.