WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark is not expected to be on the plane to Paris this summer, according to a report.
The Indiana Fever rookie will reportedly miss out on the 12-player squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics in the French capital, despite being the WNBA’s No. 1 Draft pick.
Instead, head coach Cheryl Reeve and the selection committee is said to favor veterans such as A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, according to The Athletic.
Clark was one of 14 players called up to a training camp with Team USA in April but was unable attend as it came in the midst of Iowa‘s run to the NCAA championship game.
‘You always want to grow up and be on the Olympic team, but lucky for me, I have the opportunity of possibly not doing that because I want to be at the Final Four playing basketball with my team,’ Clark said after receiving her invite.
WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark is reportedly not expected to be on the plane to Paris this summer
The Indiana Fever rookie will reportedly miss out on Cheryl Reeve’s 12-player squad
‘But if not, that’s where I’ll be. People that are on that roster are people that I idolize and have idolized growing up. Just to be extended a camp invite is something you have to be proud of and celebrate and enjoy.’
While at Iowa, Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball. She also rose to become among the biggest names in American sports.
She went on to be selected by the Fever with the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft and has averaged 16.8 points on 37.3 percent shooting, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game in 12 starts.
She scored a career-high 30 points on 7-of-13 three-point shooting in the Fever’s 85-83 win over the Washington Mystics on Friday night.
However, Reeve has reportedly favored experience in her roster selection as Team USA looks to defend their Gold in Paris.
The selection committee is said to favor veterans such as A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart (R)
Wilson, Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper are expected to be named to the squad, according to The Athletic.
The WNBA season will be taking a hiatus from July 21 to August 14 for the games with the Americans opening the tournament in Group C against Germany, Japan and Belgium.
The USA will kickstart its quest for another medal on July 29 against the Japanese.
Team USA is eyeing its eighth consecutive Olympic basketball gold medal – and 10th overall – in Paris.
