Caitlin Clark is not going to get mad at being left off the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team.
Instead, she’s going to prove to everyone that's where she belongs, according to Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides.
Reports of the Team U.S.A. roster first emerged Saturday, and people swiftly noticed that Clark would not be on the team. Los Angeles Times writer Bill Plaschke called the snub “a shocker,” adding a message to the selection team: “shame on them.”
In a video posted to X by Fever beat writer Chloe Peterson, Sides said she was “disappointed of course. She’s my player.”
“You know, that’s the hardest team in the world to make, right? That is a tough team. She’s young. She’s going to have so many opportunities,” she said.
Christie Sides on Caitlin Clark not making the Olympic team:
Clark told Sides “hey coach, they woke a monster” when telling her she didn’t make it. pic.twitter.com/02UwvuEiVj
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 9, 2024
Sides said that when she spoke to Clark “she said ‘hey coach, they woke a monster.’ That was awesome.”
Clark saysher time will come, according to a video posted to X.
“I’m excited for the girls that are on the team,” Clark said.
“I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could’ve gone either way, me being on the team or me not being on the team," the precocious rookie continued. "So, I’m excited for them, gonna 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.”
When it comes to not making the Olympic team, Caitlin Clark has nothing but praise for the 12 who made it: “it’s the toughest team to make.”
Clip: pic.twitter.com/LX59YA5Bzf
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 9, 2024
"Honestly, no disappointment. I think it just gives you something to work for," she said Sunday.
“You know, It's a dream, hopefully one day I can be there," Clark added. "I think it's just a little more motivation. You remember that and hopefully in four years, when four years comes back around, I can be there."
Clark said she was called with the news about the roster.
Caitlin Clark takes the high road here on getting left off the Olympic team, but I honestly can’t think of a dumber move for a sport trying to grow its fan base than this. Whine about no attention for decades, finally get it, and then blow it like this: pic.twitter.com/WyXUPzpX0q
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) June 9, 2024
“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. 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,” she said.
She said that despite wishing to play in the Olympics, she has other things to do.
I don’t know enough about USA women’s Olympic basketball to know if Caitlin Clark’s omission is a snub. I do know that, right now, she would be the only reason I would remotely care about USA women’s Olympic basketball. https://t.co/IAP8bulQXg
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) June 8, 2024
"Absolutely, it's gonna be really nice, I mean. I love competing every single second, but it's gonna be a great month for my body to get rest, get healthy and get a little time away from basketball and the craziness of everything that's been going on and find some peace and quiet for myself," Clark said.
She said she will also visit the weight room and work on aspects of her game she wants to refine.
Clark and the 3-9 Fever will travel to play the 9-1 Connecticut Sun on Monday evening.
