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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark's omission from the 2024 Paris Olympics was a major talking point in the WNBA. While Clark was competing for Iowa during the Team USA training camp for the Olympics and was unable to attend, many fans felt as though her play warranted a spot on the national team.
During an appearance on "The Progress Report" this week, Tiffany Hayes, who competed for Azerbaijan in the Olympic 3x3 basketball tournament, weighed in on the matter. The way she sees things, the players who were selected for the Team USA roster were veterans who worked their way into the select group.
In her eyes, Caitlin Clark and young players like Angel Reese need to earn a spot on Team USA by working their way up to an Olympic roster spot, like players before them.
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"That's been happening for forever. Like people, the youngest people coming in, they feel like they need to get that opportunity right away. But everybody who was on that team had to work their way onto that team.
"Every single person. So, I don't know why people think that they should be able to, like, skip steps. To go straight there. I mean, I'm not saying that they're not good, like they're great players, but everybody has to do their steps. Like there's levels to it."
Considering Caitlin Clark went on to win the Rookie of the Year award and led the Fever to their first playoff berth since 2016, some fans weren't happy with these comments:
"Some players needs to be put in their place next season tbh. they can’t keep discrediting the person who can get them the salary increase" - One wrote.
"They keep telling us 'there's levels to it,' but she outperformed all the other Olympic guards. They say you have to 'earn' it, but Chelsea was injured and didn't play for most of the first half and was still chosen for the Olympic team." - Another wrote.
"It's nuts that some still act like it would have been a charity case for CC to be on the Olympics team." - One added.
Others offered their own perspective on the situation:
"They can’t say anything else because then they’d have to admit/say who they would replace and we know that’s not happening lol" - One wrote.
"Girl they almost lost with all those AMAZING PLAYERS. STFU" - Another added.
"They can never mention her skills and marketing power in the same conversation." - One pointed out.
Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve explains the roster selection process, saying she had no power over Caitlin Clark's omission
At the time Team USA announced their roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, some fans blamed coach Cheryl Reeve for Caitlin Clark being left off the roster.
Reeve was just one of the people who was criticized by fans over Clark's absence, with some alleging that the players also didn't want Caitlin Clark on the roster.
Reeve set the record straight when it came to her role in roster construction during an appearance on "Good Game with Sarah Spain" back in September. As she told the host and listeners, she had no control over the roster.
To prove this, the Minnesota Lynx coach pointed to the fact that Lynx standout Kayla McBride, whom she thought had a great training camp, was cut from the roster:
"It felt as if we all felt the same – that K-MAC had a great camp, and not that she'd make the final roster because she still had to go to Sydney and make that final cut, [but] I learned at the 11th hour that they cut my player.
"And so I said to K-MAC, if there's ever a time for people to understand that the coach has no say in it, this is one of those times."
While some of Clark's fans were furious over her omission from the Team USA roster, Clark took the situation in her stride, saying that it's the toughest team to make.
In addition, she also said that she wasn't disappointed at not making the roster as a rookie, and added that it gives her something to work towards going forward.
Assuming she continues to develop on the same trajectory as we've seen, Caitlin Clark will likely wind up on the roster for the 2028 LA Olympics, along with Angel Reese.
