Caitlin Clark's Snub: Let Them Eat Crow

Dawn Stanley, coach of South Carolina and member of the Olympic selection committee, recently commented on Caitlin Clark's exclusion from the USA women's basketball team for the Olympics. This serves as a reminder that hindsight is always 20/20.

Epic Snub

Caitlin Clark has been dominating on the court, surpassing her peers and establishing herself as a player to watch. Her impressive display of talent was not enough to make the 2024 Paris Women's Olympics basketball team.

Looking back, it seems there is a twinge of regret for not adding her to the roster. This raises the question: why did she not make the team in the first place?

Stanley's Insights On Clark's Omission

In a recent statement, Dawn Stanley clarified the decision to leave Clark off the team. According to Stanley, Clark's on-court skills were not as prominent at the time of the decision as they are now. She was a rookie in the league, still under development. This made her selection for the team a challenge.

Given that it's impossible to predict the future, the explanation holds logic. It takes time for a rookie player to establish their worth and abilities in the professional league. Let's not pretend that Clark is not an exception but a genuine rarity.

Caitlin Clarke's Impressive Start

Since her professional league draft, Clark has demonstrated strong leadership skills. Yahoo Sports noted that the Indiana Fever selected Clark as the top pick in the draft after her successful college career at Iowa, and she quickly became a pivotal player on the team.

Her record in college was also exceptional. According to Sports Reference , she maintained a career average of 28.4 points per game and 8.9 assists. To put things in perspective, Pete Maravich is the highest average scorer in college basketball, with 44.5 points per game during the 1969-1970 season, Sports Reference records. This makes Clark's career average at Iowa quite impressive.

Pro Basketball Versus College Ball

On the other hand, it's crucial to remember the differences between college and professional basketball. The fundamentals remain the same, but the level of gameplay is higher, and the competition is of a higher caliber. Some who shine in college basketball choke under pressure.

Eating Crow

Conversely, there was ample justification for including her on the team. Subjectivity is always a bane. A committee's selection of the best candidates for a job varies depending on the selectors and their perspectives. Personal preferences can hold as much weight, if not more, than objective qualifications. Despite counterarguments, it is impossible to determine which held more weight at this time.

After seeing Clark's continued performance, that decision is difficult to swallow. She undoubtedly has some eating her words, realizing that leaving her off the team was likely not the best choice. Stanley's public acknowledgment confirms this.

What Can Be Learned From The Flub?

Sometimes, stepping outside current circumstances to envision what could be and build upon it is critical. Looking at the entire picture and considering everything known about an athlete is critical in making these decisions. Thinking too narrowly can lead to missteps.

Looking At Clark's Future

It has been rumored that Clark has ample opportunity to make future Olympic teams. Although this is true, it doesn't make up for the current snub.

Clark's future is indeed bright. It is unrealistic to make assumptions about the trajectory of her career. We can't predict her continued success or desire to compete on future teams. At least there was present evidence of her level of performance. That was enough to make an informed decision at the time of selection.

Summing It Up

One thing is certain everyone is seeing Clark shine. She can hold her head high. The evidence of her capabilities and skills speaks for themselves. It was their loss.

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