Caitlin Clark has been told that her Olympic rejection could be a good thing for her career by former ESPN anchor Jemele Hill.

Her expected omission has been met with widespread dismay and while Hill stopped short of saying she agrees with the call not to take the No 1 pick from this year’s WNBA Draft to Paris, she said it could help Clark overall.

‘Honestly, Caitlin Clark not being on this year’s Olympics team is actually a good thing — FOR HER,’ Hill wrote. ‘In the span of weeks, she went from playing college ball, to becoming a professional, to having a grind of schedule.

‘A multi-week break probably isn’t the worst thing in the world. She will eventually make an Olympic team.’

The WNBA will go on hiatus from July 18 until August 14 when the Olympics are held in France from July 26 until August 11.

Caitlin Clark will have a break for nearly a month if she doesn’t play in the Olympic Games

Jemele Hill believes the time to rest could help Clark after a whirlwind 2024 so far

Hill responded to a fan saying that Clark, 22, will miss out on priceless experience from competing overseas by saying: ‘I think what will happen is that they will get her more international experience, so she can be in the pipeline.

‘The common thread among all the players selected is that they have considerable international experience. Caitlin doesn’t.’

A different fan said to Hill that leaving Clark at home is ‘a miss from the PR department’ because the excitement around the Indiana Fever player will not be at the same level in another four years.

Hill replied: ‘So if between now and then she won a MVP or a WNBA title … she wouldn’t be as hot?’

 

Clark scored 30 points on Friday night to propel Indiana Fever to their third win of the WNBA season, beating Washington Mystics 85-83.

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy – an avid Clark fan – took to X to vent his anger on Saturday when it was first reported that she would not be heading to the Games.

‘I don’t know who’s making the decision, Women’s Olympic Committee or whatever it is,’ Portnoy said. ‘I don’t care if you don’t think Caitlin Clark talent-wise belongs on this team, even though she does put up 37 at 13 – the most points in the history of the league for a rookie.

‘None of it matters. These women – and I love women, I’m a pro-women guy – they complain, they cry about equal rights, equal wages, blah blah blah… Hey dummies, for the first time in the history of basketball, you have arguably the player who is the most popular player in the world.

‘You can argue that Caitlin Clark is the most popular, most puts-a**es-in-the-seats, single basketball player in the world. You can argue that. And you leave her off the Olympics team?

‘It’s not only a showcase for her, it’s for the sport and the other WNBA players that are on this team. How dumb, how braindead, how idiotic do the people running this thing have to be? It’s one thing after another with her.’

Caitlin Clark’s Mother Reveals True Feelings On Team USA Snub Of Fever Rookie

 

Caitlin Clark’s mom speak out on her daughter’s non-inclusion on the Team USA roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics

For those who missed it, Clark has been the talk of the sports world after it was revealed that she’s not part of the roster that will represent USA women’s basketball in the Paris games. While an official announcement has yet to be made, there is already a list of players who were reportedly selected—and Clark isn’t one of them.

Of course several fans and experts are calling out Team USA for the decision. Interestingly, Clark’s mom, Anne Nizzi-Clark, shared one of the critical takes about the snub and reposted it on her X (formerly Twitter) account.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) watches from the bench after getting taken out during a substitution in the first quarter against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

“USA Basketball’s timing is terrible. Clark just made seven 3’s and scored 30 in front of the largest WNBA crowd in 17 years: 20,333 in DC, more than double the crowd Chicago drew the night before in the same arena,” Christine Brennan of USA Today opined, which Clark’s mom reposted.

Brennan said in a follow-up take: “It is true: Caitlin Clark, the biggest name in women’s basketball who has electrified record crowds while being named WNBA rookie of the month, has been left off the 2024 US Olympic women’s basketball team roster, three sources have told me. This confirms my overnight reporting.”

It is true: Caitlin Clark, the biggest name in women’s basketball who has electrified record crowds while being named WNBA rookie of the month, has been left off the 2024 US Olympic women’s basketball team roster, three sources have told me. This confirms my overnight reporting. https://t.co/UhBMLpA40t

— Christine Brennan (@cbrennansports) June 8, 2024

For what it’s worth, it’s not only the Clark matriarch who has expressed her thoughts on the issue through social media. Caitlin Clark’s younger brother, Colin, also liked several posts questioning the announcement.

Sure enough, Clark’s family is in full support of her amid the Olympics issue and hasn’t been shy in making their feelings clear. Hopefully, the Fever rookie addresses the matter soon as well.