The Phoenix Suns star addressed the Fever rookie’s Caitlin Clark’s snub from Team USA’s basketball roster.
Team USA’s decision to leave Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark off of the women’s basketball roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics was one met with outrage from fans, and understanding from Clark herself.
Plenty of pundits and former players also commented on the decision and explained why it was made. But perhaps one of the best perspectives came from three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant.
During an interview with the Wall Street Journal that was released on Tuesday, he was asked if he thought Clark should have been picked for the Olympics roster. Durant’s answer can be heard at the 7:30 mark of the video below.
“I still think there’s proper steps you have to take in our world to be considered an Olympian,” Durant said. “I think she’s definitely going to be on one of these teams going forward, but for right now there’s better candidates out there I think. But Caitlin’s just gotta continue to keep showing up every day.”
Durant went on to comment on Clark’s growth on the court, and how that will coincide with the WNBA’s success. But it was the Suns star’s answer about Clark’s snub that stood out.
Durant respectfully said that he felt Team USA made the right decision, but also gave Clark props, and made it clear that he thinks she will be on plenty of Olympic rosters in the future.
Clark, 22, is reportedly one of the top alternates for the Team USA roster in the event of a player injury or withdrawal.
t’s true, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark was not selected to represent the United States in the upcoming Summer Olympics. We are talking about arguably the most important rookie in the entire league despite sharing the spotlight with other great players like Angel Reese and Cameron Brink.
Caitlin Clark had such a massive impact that she is being promoted to be part of this year’s Team USA at the Summer Olympics.
But when Olympian Kevin Durant was asked about her absence, he didn’t hesitate to speak his mind. Although Clark is a star on the rise, Durant still thinks there needs to be a proper protocol that she must follow. Just like everyone else.
Per Semafor’s Max Tani, Durant said: “I still think there’s proper steps you gotta take in our world to be considered an Olympian. I think she’s gonna definitely be on one of these teams going forward, but right now there’s better candidates out there, I think.
But Caitlin’s just gotta continue to keep showing up every day, and the WNBA is doing a great job of showcasing her. I’m seeing her games on ESPN every other day
. I’ve seen talks around; no matter what they’re talking about, there’s a lot of dialogue around the game right now, so that’s good as well…there’s so many great players in our league that Caitlin has helped shine a light on, and that’ll help the league grow over time.”
Caitlin Clark’s complicated first year as a pro
Caitlin Clark arrived at the NBA with a group of brilliant rookies who promise to completely revolutionize the league.
Despite being excluded for the Paris Summer Olympics, everybody still considers Clark to be a star and they can already see she will be massive for the WNBA.
Regardless of her status, she revealed how disappointed she is for getting snubbed. Speaking to Clutch Points, Clark said: “Honestly, no disappointment. I think it just gives you something to work for. That’s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little more motivation. You remember that.”
