Caitlin Clark Is Trending After Olympics Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics took place on the Seine Friday afternoon. Headlining the event for the United States were Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James and tennis sensation Coco Gauff, flag-bearers for the Americans chosen by their teammates.

Many fans back home, though, couldn't help but notice the conspicuous absence of one domestic superstar: Caitlin Clark.

The Indiana Fever rookie was left off the women's basketball roster for Paris last month, igniting a firestorm of criticism from her legion of followers directed at national team veterans and decision-makers. Clearly, resentment stemming from Clark's perceived snub hasn't vanished entirely.

Clark entered the Olympic break playing the best basketball of her young WNBA career.

The all-time leading scorer in NCAA history averaged 18.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 10.8 assists over her last 12 games, leading the Fever to a 7-5 record. That version of Clark is definitely good enough to be playing in Paris.

But she struggled during her first month of professional action as the Team USA roster was finalized, and it bears stressing that no other rookie will play at the Olympics. The youngest player on the team, in fact, is New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, a fifth-year veteran who's four years Clark's senior.

Clark's time at the Olympics will come eventually. Despite that near certainty, some fans just can't grasp how she was omitted from Team USA as a rookie.

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