the reason why the Men's team didn't do that in 2008 is because they got their lunch handed to them by a bunch of Puerto Ricans and Argentinians in 2004 so instead of getting the 12 best, they took guys that would do their jobs, be fine with not playing if need be and fill needs (and revamp the process to where you had to commit for multiple years). It's why Keldon Johnson has a gold medal.
If Caitlin Clark was the Keldon Johnson of the women's team, the media/stans would lose it, so all that "why can't they just put her on the team" talk is bullshyt. They not only want her on the team, they want her treated as if she's the best player in the world, because the attention she woulda received woulda been equivalent to that.
The gap between the US women and the rest of the world is much greater than the US men and the rest of the world. They don't need Kobe.
They could have carried Caitlin or other younger players instead of bitter, never sold a ticket, old ass Diana Taurasi.