Fact Check: Caitlin Clark Joined Women's National Team After Brittney Griner Released for 'Undisclosed Reasons'?

Claim:

Caitlin Clark joined the USA Basketball Women's National Team roster after the team released Brittney Griner for "undisclosed reasons."

Rating:

Labeled Satire ( About this rating? )

On June 14, 2024, a Facebook page named America's Last Line Of Defense posted a meme positing the USA Basketball Women's National Team added WNBA rookie phenom and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark to its roster. According to the post, Clark joined only after the team released Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner for "undisclosed reasons." The meme read, "Team USA: 'Britney Griner is OUT - Caitlin Clark is IN.'"

The text caption above the America's Last Line Of Defense Facebook post read, "Team USA had to release Brittney Griner for 'undisclosed reasons,' which some are interpreting as a rule violation related to her testosterone levels. 'We won't have answers before Paris. Caitlin is in.' Sometimes karma just works out."

This purported news was not a factual recounting of real-life events. The America's Last Line of Defense Facebook page is one part of a larger network of satire and parody websites, which also is called America's Last Line of Defense. According to the page's description, "Nothing on this page is real." The lower-right corner of the meme also displayed a satire rating label. The post's mention of Griner and "testosterone levels" referenced a false conspiracy theory claiming she was born male.

The inspiration for this rumor stemmed from Clark's exclusion from the USA Basketball Women's National Team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, a development first reported earlier in June.

Other similar claims about Clark and Griner originating from different Facebook pages mentioning satire and parody falsely said Griner was disqualified , booted for misconduct or embroiled in a scandal . A different meme published by the main Facebook page for America's Last Line Of Defense also read, "Team USA Loses $60 Million in Endorsements After the Caitlin Clark Snub: 'We Can't Back That Decision.'" None of these stories reflected genuine news.

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Sources:

Brennan, Christine. "USA Basketball Won't Address Tweets from Coach Cheryl Reeve That Referenced Caitlin Clark." USA TODAY , 13 June 2024, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2024/06/13/cheryl-reeve-usa-basketball-caitlin-clark/74077981007/ .

Cercone, Jeff. "No, Basketball Star Brittney Griner Is Not a Man." PolitiFact , 9 Aug. 2022, https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/aug/09/facebook-posts/no-basketball-star-brittney-griner-not-man/ .

Feinberg, Doug. "Clark Left off USA Basketball National Team Roster, AP Source Says; Taurasi Makes Sixth Olympic Team." The Associated Press , 8 June 2024, https://apnews.com/article/clark-olympics-usa-basketball-267616be33b9bc6b4aed0ad5d89e8167 .

---. "US Women's Basketball Team to Train in New York before Heading to Pre-Olympic Tournament." The Associated Press , 22 Jan. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/olympics-usa-griner-taurasi-89cbb5f875e6311305fbf62f691cdb11 .

Guinhawa, Angelo. "Wild Caitlin Clark Report About Olympic Snub Gets Official Team USA Reply." Athlon Sports , 13 June 2024, https://athlonsports.com/wnba/wild-caitlin-clark-report-olympic-snub-gets-official-team-usa-reply .

Jennings, Chantel. "U.S. Women's Basketball Olympic Roster Breakdown: Experience Leads Hunt for Another Gold." The New York Times , 12 June 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5557328/2024/06/12/team-usa-womens-basketball-roster-olympics/ .

Multiple Contributors. "Breaking down Caitlin Clark's Olympic Omission -- and More Roster Takeaways." ESPN.com , 8 June 2024, https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/40304807/usa-basketball-caitlin-clark-paris-olympics-roster-national-team .

Petersen, Kate S. "Fact Check: Fabricated CNN Report of Brittney Griner DNA Test." USA TODAY , 16 Aug. 2022, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2022/08/16/fact-check-fabricated-cnn-report-brittney-griner-dna-test/10304941002/ .

"Roster." Phoenix Mercury , https://mercury.wnba.com/roster/ .

"---." Indiana Fever , https://fever.wnba.com/roster/ .

The Athletic Staff. "Caitlin Clark Left off Olympic Team; Wilson, Stewart, Taurasi Headline Roster." The New York Times , 11 June 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5550057/2024/06/11/caitlin-clark-paris-olympics-roster-womens-basketball/ .

"USA Basketball Women's Olympic Team." USA Basketball , https://www.usab.com .