Caitlin Clark has no bad blood with Team USA after she failed to make the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s basketball team.
“I’m excited for the girls [who] are on the team,” Clark, 22, told Indy Star sports reporter Chloe Peterson on Sunday, June 9. “I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could have gone either way with me being on the team [or] me not being on the team. I’m excited for them.”
Clark continued, “I’m going to be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, so it’ll be fun to watch them.”
Clark further noted that she had “no disappointment” that she didn’t make the team.
“I think it gives you something to work for. You know, it’s a dream and hopefully one day I’ll be there,” she said. “I think it’s just a little more motivation … and hopefully in four years — when four years comes back around — I can be there.”
Team USA has not formally announced its roster for the women’s basketball squad at the summer Games but multiple outlets reported on Saturday, June 8, that Clark was not among the athletes. According to NBC News, Brittney Griner, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and more will represent the United States.
Cameron Brink, who was a member of Clark’s WNBA draft class, Rhyne Howard, Hailey Van Lith and Cierra Burdick will also compete for the U.S. in the women’s 3 x 3 event.
Clark, meanwhile, had received an official phone call from the team’s directors before the news made headlines.
“They called me and let me know before everything came out, which was really respectful of them and I appreciated that,” Clark said. “They did the same for every girl that made the team or every girl that didn’t make the team, you know, there’s a lot of players in the Olympic pool. So, it wasn’t like I was the only one they had to call. They had to make quite a few calls.”
Clark was one of the top collegiate athletes for the University of Iowa’s team, propelling the women’s squad to the Final Four earlier this year. At the end of the season, Clark declared for the WNBA Draft. She was the No. 1 pick, signing with the Indiana Fever.
“I got a little anxious there before the pick,” Clark gushed to ESPN after the draft round. “But, more than anything, I’m just grateful and lucky to have my family here and my friends over there, coaches up here. I’ve dreamed of this moment since second grade and it’s taken a lot of hard work [and] a lot of ups and downs, but more than anything, [I’m] trying to soak it in.”