USA Basketball is facing scrutiny after the exclusion of Caitlin Clark from the 2024 Paris Olympics roster, but the organization’s officials are standing by their decision. In an interview with The Associated Press published on July 23, Jen Rizzotti, chair of the USA Basketball Women's National Team Committee, explained the reasoning behind Clark’s omission.
Clark, the No. 1 pick of the 2024 WNBA draft and the highest scorer in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history, was notably absent from the Olympic roster announced earlier this week.
The roster features a lineup of established WNBA stars, including Diana Taurasi, Kelsey Plum, Brittney Griner, and Sabrina Ionescu.
According to Rizzotti, the decision to leave Clark off the roster was influenced by several factors, including experience and the overall team composition. “When you base your decision on criteria, there were other players that were harder to cut because they checked a lot more boxes,” Rizzotti said. “Sometimes it comes down to position, style of play for [coach Cheryl Reeve], and then sometimes a vote.
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Rizzotti emphasized that the committee’s primary focus was assembling the most cohesive and competitive team possible. “It would be irresponsible for us to talk about her in a way other than how she would impact the play of the team,” she said. “It wasn’t the purview of our committee to decide how many people would watch or how many people would root for the U.
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