The 2024 Olympics is not the perfect storm for Caitlin Clark and women's basketball the way people are making it out to be. Why? Because her game isn't there yet to take advantage of her popularity.
What people seem to gloss over is the fact that she was actually the ONLY college player to receive an invite to try out. She couldn’t try out for the team because of Iowa's run at the Final 4 taking place during Team USA Training Camp. What precedent does that set for the rest of the league if she gets a roster spot without even trying out for it?
Even then Team USA told Caitlin that the first month of the WNBA season would serve as her tryout for the Olympics. She didn't make it.
On the flipside, let's say Team USA did send her the invite. If she is struggling to get a shot off in 3 games against Dijone Carrington, then what is she gonna do against the best of the best during camp?
Her game is basic. Going left? It's a step back 3. Going right? She might drive even though she isn't a great finisher. Her handle is trash. No mid range. Not very strong. Slow foot speed. Not very athletic. A traffic cone on defense. Her game isn't there yet, but with time she could be, but right now her focus should be rest and development.
If she getting her shyt ran whenever she plays a team that's average and up then what do yall expect to happen when she has to practice against the best? She won't crack the rotation. Caitlin would get maybe 5 minutes on this team, if that.
Folks need to be honest with themselves. Do you care about the WNBA or do you simply care about Caitlin Clark? Because I find it very disingenuous for the narrative to be that Caitlin Clark is solely responsible for the growth of the WNBA and women's basketball as a whole when the discourse says otherwise. How can we say she is growing the league but the media doesn't actually talk about the LEAGUE, just her?
Right now I have no faith that Caitlin being on Team USA during the Olympics would actually serve anybody other than Caitlin based off of the discourse that is surrounding the WNBA right now.
Also, people that say that women's basketball could use the viewership boost probably weren't apart of the 7.9 million that tuned in for the gold medal game at the 2020 Olympics.
There's a chance Caitlin is gonna be added as an alternative. The fans of the sport understand that she's not at the level yet to earn significant playing time. However, if the rest of America can't handle the decision of the selection committee to leave her off the initial roster, then do yall really think they're ready for the image of Caitlin riding the bench?