Caitlin Clark was in the running for a spot on the U.S. women's Olympic basketball team but ultimately didn't make it onto the 12-woman squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
While Clark has said she harbors "no disappointment" about being left off the squad, many of her fans have expressed confusion and dismay that she was left off the roster.
That has led many to explore why Clark was snubbed, leading USA Today columnist Christine Brennan to find a tweet posted by Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve early in the season.
Reeve's tweet contained a hashtag that read "The W is more than one player," a reference to the wealth of talent in the WNBA.
ALSO in action tonight - @minnesotalynx vs @chicagosky 7pm CST. Though fans won't be able to watch, #Lynx fans can go to the Lynx app to follow along via play by play. Or if you are in market, come to the game...as we start the season off right ✅#12teams #theWismorethanoneplayer https://t.co/Wp5vwt8ucK
— Cheryl Reeve (@LynxCoachReeve) May 3, 2024
Some read that as a shot at Clark ahead of her first WNBA preseason game. That led many to speculate that Reeve made her mind up early and didn't want Clark on the team.
Brennan later reported she made multiple requests for comment from Reeve through a USA Basketball spokesperson, but that the spokesperson responded saying only, "Cheryl told me that she would not be commenting." The spokesperson also noted Reeve did not have an official role in selecting the Olympic roster. USA Basketball also would not comment on the tweets.
MORE: Caitlin Clark's reaction to Olympics snub
Cheryl Reeve-Caitlin Clark tweet, explained
Lost in that discussion was the original meaning of Reeve's tweet. Yes, Reeve was lamenting the hyperfocused attention on Clark and the Fever, but it wasn't necessarily because she held a grudge against Clark. She was pointing out that the WNBA wasn't widely broadcasting the Lynx vs. Sky preseason game widely, which was strange given the heightened interest in the league coming out of the women's NCAA Tournament.
Reeve's critique proved valid, as WNBA fans eager to watch Angel Reese make her preseason debut in that Sky-Lynx contest had to tune into another fan's live stream of the game to see her play, per Alex Azzi. Thus, it seems like the WNBA missed an opportunity to get one of its potential future stars exposure while there was high demand.
Perhaps Reeve was among those miffed about the grandeur with which Clark was met as she entered the WNBA, but Clark's omission was still more likely about a talent crunch for Team USA.
MORE: Who made the 2024 Olympic basketball women's roster?
Why was Caitlin Clark left off Olympics roster?
Team USA has to make difficult roster decisions every year because of the country's wealth of women's basketball talent. Clark certainly has the playmaking and shooting abilities needed to be one of the game's best players, but she is still developing at the pro level just a couple of months into her WNBA career.
With Team USA wanting a more veteran-laden squad in Paris, it made sense to keep Clark home.
Could going to Paris have been beneficial for Clark? Sure, but getting time to rest and hit the weight room will also help.
She also has extra motivation to show out and earn her way onto Team USA for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, as she told reporters Sunday.
"I think it just gives you something to work for," Clark said. "That’s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little more motivation. You remember that. Hopefully when four years comes back around, I can be there."
All that's to say, it's probably best not to read into Reeve's tweet too much. Clark wasn't the only Olympic roster snub, and she certainly won't be the last as women's basketball continues to grow and more players get opportunities to prove themselves.
