Some of you probably won't be surprised at all to find that former Iowa star and current Indianapolis Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is making headlines once again. You would hope by now it would be something a little positive or at least some folks giving her validation, but of course that isn't the case.
It seems the American team recently released the names of players who are going to be competing for the gold medal in the women's basketball category this summer in Paris. Many folks are apparently bent out of shape when they realized that Clark's name is nowhere to be found on that list...
The reasoning behind it is a little head scratching if you ask me. According to the news outlets, the omission of Clark was in light of the fact that she would likely have limited playing time and they didn't want the fans to be upset. So you thought leaving her off the team completely would make them less upset? Come on!
If you would have just said she needs to earn her way onto the team I think every one could have accepted that a bit more. Instead, you now have people boycotting the games and being quite vocal about how they don't plan to watch them now. Of course, it isn't a very big deal because the audience for the Olympic games extends well beyond the borders of the US, but it could make an impact. We really don't know yet.
Personally, I am quite impressed with the way that Caitlin handled all of this. In a comment I saw from her, she simply said that "this gives me something to work towards now" and something to the effect of, this inspires me to play better.
Perhaps in another four years we will actually see Clark take the floor in an Olympic game. I'm honestly glad they didn't just throw her in there based on name alone. There are some really great players in the WNBA who have paid their dues and put in the time to earn a spot on the Olympic team. Clark is still finding her footing.
It may well be another three years before she fully settles into her new role as a WNBA player. So far, it really feels like that is the main thing she should be focusing on. This snub from the Olympic team selection committee could be a gift for the Fever and fans of that franchise. They might not see it now, but one day, they likely will.
From what I have heard the women's Olympic team has pretty much dominated this particular sport for the past seven Olympic games. I don't really expect it will be much different this year.
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