Insider Reveals Why Caitlin Clark Couldn't Play on USA's 3x3 Olympics Team
ESPN basketball insider Brian Windhorst appeared on an August 5 episode of the Pat McAfee show.
Among the many topics that Windhorst, McAfee, and former NFL standout AJ Hawk discussed was why the Team USA men's 3x3 basketball Paris Olympics team doesn't include NBA superstars.
"If you want real talk about it, I'll tell you why: Because FIBA doesn't really want to US to do good in 3 on 3," Windhorst said. "They really want that to be for countries that can't field 5 on 5 teams, and so they do all these things... they have all these different layers and layers and layers and things you have to do to qualify.
"Like, Kyrie [Irving] can't just show up and play," Windhorst continued. "The only way you can play is if you play in like 15 qualifying events."
The USA 3x3 men's team was expected to compete for a medal at the Paris games. But they ended up producing a 2-5 overall record and didn't make it past the event's group stage.
In addition to discussing the men's side, Windhorst went on to discuss why Caitlin Clark never would have been able to join the US women's 3x3 team in Paris.
"Because honestly, Caitlin Clark... that was something that Caitlin Clark could have done," Windhorst said of Clark potentially playing in the Paris Olympics' 3x3 event.
"Can you imagine what that would have been like? But there was like 15 hoops that she would have had to jump through," Windhorst continued. "Because FIBA doesn't care about ratings. They just care about growing the game everywhere else outside the US. So that's just not their priority."
"FIBA doesn't really want the USA to do good at three on three basketball" ~ @WindhorstESPN
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 5, 2024
WE KNEW IT WINDY #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/bZfPUxNZQf
While Windhorst's sentiment makes sense, one would imagine that Clark's inclusion in the tournament would help grow the 3x3 women's game tremendously, both inside and outside of the USA.
The USA women's 3x3 team secured bronze medals on Monday. Perhaps Clark running the point could have helped them make it to the gold medal match.
Regardless, Clark is surely keen to compete in the 2028 Olympic games; albeit for USA's 5x5 squad.
GRANT YOUNG
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.