The ‘farewell present’ that played a part in Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub

The controversy surrounding Caitlin Clark's omission from the 2024 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team is reignited by a detail in Christine Brennan's new book. The book reports that one of the 12 roster spots was essentially guaranteed to Diana Taurasi as a "farewell present" by USA Basketball, meaning only 11 spots were truly competitive. Taurasi, 42 during the Games, was considered a lock regardless of minor injuries, though she was benched later in the tournament and didn't play in the gold medal game.

Clark, a rookie WNBA phenom averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists at the time of selection, was passed over for one of the remaining spots. This decision sparked significant controversy, with fans and pundits suggesting established players were jealous of Clark's popularity. Brennan's book further claims the selection committee feared negative reactions on social media if Clark received limited playing time in Paris and "didn't want to deal" with that.

Selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti stated the decision was based on "basketball criteria," evaluating players against specific boxes related to position, style of play for the coach, and committee votes, asserting other players were harder to cut. Clark was offered a spot on the 3x3 national team but declined it. The U.S. team, featuring players like A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Diana Taurasi, ultimately won the gold medal.