WASHINGTON, DC — Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark won’t be heading to Paris this summer.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the United States Basketball Association has removed the former University of Iowa star from its 12-man Olympic team, with USA Today’s Christine Brennan confirming the news.
According to Charania, the members include four players from the Las Vegas Aces — A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray; three players from the Phoenix Mercury — Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Kalia Copper; two players from the New York Liberty — Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu; Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun; Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx; and Jewel Loyd of the Seattle Storm.
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The U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team, which has won gold medals in seven consecutive tournaments, is placing a premium on experience ahead of the 2024 Paris Games. Ionescu, a fifth-year guard from New York Liberty University and the No. 1 draft pick in 2020, is 26 years old and the youngest player on the team.
Not only do the 12 players on this roster have experience, they also had the benefit of having trained together at multiple USA Basketball training camps during the offseason. USA Basketball holds training camps in November and April to develop WNBA players as roster candidates, and Clark was invited to the April camp in Cleveland. However, with Iowa reaching the Final Four and the two events overlapping, the Fever rookie was unable to attend.
So the Associated Press reported before the season that Clark’s early WNBA games would serve as informal tryouts for the Olympic team.
She was named WNBA Rookie of the Month for May after an impressive first month in the league, averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists through her first 12 games. However, with so much time on the ball, Clark struggled with turnovers, averaging 5.6 per game.
Making the Olympic team was an ambitious goal for Clark this season, but getting an extended break during the league’s 24-day hiatus for the Olympics could work to her advantage. With Iowa reaching the national championship, Clark hasn’t had a meaningful break from basketball since October 2023.
Fever sophomore Aaliyah Boston also attended USA Basketball training camp but ultimately was not selected for the Olympic team. Both Boston and Clark will have another chance to make the 2028 Olympic team in Los Angeles.
