A senior official from USA Basketball recently announced that Caitlin Clark, the impressive rookie from the Indiana Fever, won’t be part of the women’s Olympic basketball team for the upcoming Paris Games. Jen Rizzotti, the chair of the selection committee, clarified to the Associated Press that their decision adhered to established selection criteria. Rizzotti explained that they assessed players based on specific basketball criteria, considering factors like position, playing style preferred by coach Cheryl Reeve, and sometimes resorting to a vote when making tough decisions. The USA women’s national team has a remarkable history, having clinched gold in seven consecutive Olympic Games since 1996, and the upcoming roster is brimming with talent.
Rizzotti acknowledged Caitlin Clark’s immense popularity, attributing to her record-breaking collegiate career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, but emphasized that this didn’t influence their selection process. She highlighted their responsibility to assemble the best team possible for Coach Reeve, focusing solely on how each player would impact the team’s performance on the court.
Twelve players have been chosen to represent the United States at the Olympics, including renowned names like Napheesa Collier, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and A’ja Wilson, among others. USA Basketball boasts of their impressive collective achievements, with the selected team members holding a total of 15 Olympic gold medals, 18 FIBA Women’s World Cup titles, and 55 WNBA All-Star appearances.
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