Despite just being a rookie, Caitlin Clark has become one of the biggest names in basketball. That is evident with the historic numbers the WNBA is getting this year. However, with all that love from her fans also comes a lot of judgment. Since the beginning of the Olympic Games on July 27, many have given their opinions on the absence of the Indiana Fever rookie in Paris. Interestingly, Team USA’s screening committee members were kind of forced to explain the same due to fan backlash. Now, a Washington Post columnist’s take has offered a fresh and unique perspective.

Washington Post columnists Candace Buckner and Jerry Brewer sat down to dive deep into Team USA’s quest in Paris. And how could they avoid discussing Caitlin Clark? “I understand growing the game and building up their pockets. But let’s get the Gold medal, which they will, and forget about everything else. Right now, let the best players who deserve their spots have their sign,” Buckner revealed on The Sports Moments podcast.

The 22-year-old Indiana Fever standout has been a significant contributor to the WNBA’s growth this season. She has led WNBA arenas to fill up to 94%. Fans and analysts suggested that she should be on the Olympics roster, which would have helped Team USA attract more eyeballs at the Paris Games. Well, Buckner doesn’t feel that was a priority and she wasn’t alone.

Jerry Brewer brought some valid points into the conversation by pointing out the crowd in Paris. He said, “You can’t equate an American crowd with Caitlin Clark to France. Like do we know for a fact that Caitlin Clark is really like that in France?” And he might be right. Caitlin Clark’s popularity in America cannot be compared with that in France. She might have pulled the American audience to fill up the stands, but the Olympics isn’t just about the American crowd.

“People who are coming to the Olympics, who have all these options, would have gone all the way just to watch her play. I think there’s a lot of layers to the Caitlin Clark conversation,” he added.

He further pointed out the difference in expectations for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Brewer mentioned that if the men’s team doesn’t win the Gold, it won’t have much of an effect on the NBA’s growth. However, the same can’t be said about the WNBA. So, the women’s selection team couldn’t take any risks while picking the roster. To some extent, this might or may not be true!

A deeper look into columnist’s valid points on Caitlin Clark’s snub

Regarding Buckner’s point about the “best players who deserve their spot,” the USA screening committee members might not agree. On July 28, Dawn Staley disclosed, “She is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people….Shooting the ball extremely well, I mean she is an elite passer, she’s just got a great basketball IQ, and she’s a little more seasoned in the pro game in a couple of months.” The legendary coach revealed that Clark would have been high on the list had the selection happened at the All-Star Game mark. However, it happened earlier in the season when Clark was still settling in.

USA Today via Reuters

For Staley, Clark has shown significant growth. True that, the Indiana Fever rookie features impressive stats in just 26 games. She’s leading the league with 8.2 assists and boasts a record for the first triple-double by a rookie in WNBA history. Coming to what Brewer said about Clark attracting a crowd in France, he was proved wrong in the first game of Team USA against Japan.

A fan in the stands wearing a half-Nets and half-Lakers jersey stood with a board. “You need Caitlin Clark to beat us,” read the sign. Sure enough, he held the sign to mock the team’s decision not to let Clark wear red, white, and blue at the Paris Olympics. Well, the decision has been made. Team USA has been doing great until now. It seems they’ll soon be returning with an eight consecutive gold medal around their necks. For Clark fans, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is the right place to keep their hopes alive.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with NCAA Star Asia Avinger.