"It the hardest team to make": Lisa Bluder has diplomatic reaction to Caitlin Clark's 2024 Paris Olympics snub
Caitlin Clark, despite being the biggest name in the women's basketball space, will not don a national jersey this year. She was left out of the Team USA roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Iowa Hawkeyes coach Lisa Bluder gave a diplomatic response to the scenario.
Even though Bluder questioned the selection committee's efforts for futureproofing the national roster, she maintained the exclusivity of the Olympics squad.
"I obviously would've loved to have seen her on that team," Bluder said. "But we have to remember, it's the hardest team to make. The 12 women they have chosen are exceptional women. My only but is, what about the future?" she added.
Bluder echoed the sentiment of many professionals and experts who claim that Clark's snub can act like a missed opportunity to grow the young game of women's basketball. Clark brought massive numbers to the NCAA last season and could have repeated the same with Team USA.
Nevertheless, Caitlin Clark has international experience under her belt as a youngster. She was part of the USA's 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2019 and 2021 FIBA U19 World Cups where she secured gold medals.
Clark finished each of her medal journeys behind a flawless record and is yet to face a loss on the global stage. Her best stint came in 2021, when she averaged 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists across seven games. Consequently, she was named the MVP of the tournament and was named to the All-Star top-five roster.
Why was Caitlin Clark omitted from Team USA's Olympic roster?
Caitlin Clark was named to the USA's 2024 women's national team training camp roster and was invited to Cleveland in April. However, the sharpshooter could not attend the camp as she was spearheading the Hawkeyes through the Final Four.
However, thanks to her offensive numbers, her absence from the camp did not factor into her candidacy for the national team.
The current Team USA women's roster was forged to ensure dependability. Instead of going with young and promising talent, coach Cheryl Reeve planned to fill the roster with veteran players who either have international experience or a significant WNBA resume. It is also one of the reasons why none of the players on the team are younger than 25.