Olympics

Dawn Staley reveals her stance on Caitlin Clark and the Paris 2024 Olympics

Caitlin Clark is the notable absence from these Paris 2024 Olympics, and Dawn Staley made a revealing statement about it.

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Updated on
July 28, 2024 05:33PM EDT

**© David Berding/Getty Images**Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates her three-point basket against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half of the championship game of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at Target Center on March 5, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

As the women’s basketball team of the United States prepares to start their competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, they aim to once again clinch the gold medal. However, they will have to do so without one of their current top stars.

It was widely known that one of the biggest recent stars in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, was not selected for the final roster of the North American team. This decision has sparked considerable speculation and discussion.

Regarding Caitlin Clark‘s exclusion and just before their Olympic debut, Dawn Staley, the women’s basketball coach at South Carolina and a member of the Team USA women’s basketball selection committee, acknowledged that Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark would have been strongly considered for the 2024 Paris Olympics roster if selections were being made today.

In an interview with NBC’s Mike Tirico, Coach Dawn Staley made a statement: “If we had to do it all over again, the way that she’s playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people.”

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the first half during the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.

“As a committee member, you’re charged with putting together the best team of players, the best talent. Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA and wasn’t playing bad, but wasn’t playing like she’s playing now.”, Staley stated. “She’s shooting the ball extremely well. She’s an elite passer. She’s just got a great basketball IQ. And she’s a little more seasoned in the pro game than she was two months ago.”

Weeks ago, the Team USA selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti, explained why Caitlin Clark was out of 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Caitlin Clark effect: Fever star makes huge impact in WNBA audience

U.S. Olympic CEO defends decision to exclude Caitlin Clark from roster

In contrast to Staley’s comments, US Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland defended the decision-making process. In an interview with Bloomberg Business of Sports Podcast, Hirshland defended her stance on the matter: “When you look at the whole thing in totality, I would say USA Basketball has had a very disciplined process with people who know more about the sport of women’s basketball than anyone else in the world. And I trust that they know exactly what they’re doing.”

The journey of Team USA on the road to the gold medal

Just as they achieved years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the North American team will seek the top spot on the podium, but to achieve this, they must overcome the following obstacles:

vs Japan – July 29th
vs Belgium – August 1st
vs Germany – August 4th

Matías Persuh

Matias Persuh is a sports journalist and writer who began his career after graduating with a bachelor's degree in Sports Journalism in 2008. Over the years, he has covered numerous events, including local soccer games, and has conducted interviews with players and coaches. In addition to his writing, Matias has contributed as a columnist on various radio shows. Joining Bolavip US in July 2024 marked a significant step forward in his career, allowing him to continue developing his skills and delivering resonant news and reports to the audience.