WNBA Veteran Explains Caitlin Clark's Paris Olympics Roster Snub

Caitlin Clark's record-breaking rookie season was not enough to earn her a spot on the roster for the Paris Olympics, a decision that generated some controversy.

But the Indiana Fever rookie may have been too time-pressed to accept a spot had one been available, a WNBA veteran explained. Seattle Storm veteran Nneka Ogwumike, who came into the league as the No. 1 overall pick just months before the London Olympics in 2012, said the timeframe between the end of the college season and the start of the WNBA season is short and chaotic for rookies.

“You hit the ground running,” Nneka told The Athletic . “Within a week (of the draft), you’re in your market and there’s really no breathing room."

Nneka added that the extended break in the WNBA season for the Olympics can be important for rookies to rest and recharge after playing basketball for close to 10 months with little break.

"Being in an Olympic year, it gives you a lot of extra time to catch your bearings and just figure out the transition of it all," Nneka said.

Clark has made the most of her break, spending time on vacation in Mexico and practicing with her Fever teammates. The frontrunner for WNBA Rookie of the Year recently said she is ready to get the season started again.

“I’m just going to try to come back and compete and hopefully have a little more legs under me," Clark said. "Have a little more rest under me... I feel like I’m ready to get back out there and get playing, but that’s probably because that’s really all I’ve known over the course of the last years.”

Related: The 12 Best Caitlin Clark Jerseys and Merch to Buy Right Now—Because You Should Have Just As Many Picks as the Draft