"Wasn't playing like she's playing now - Dawn Staley on Caitlin Clark being left off the Olympic team

Selecting the players to represent the Stars and Stripes in the 2004 Paris Olympics women's basketball tournament is no mean feat. With so many talented players, some are inevitably left out. So, when USA Basketball announced the team's composition in June, many experts and fans were outraged to learn that Indiana Fever star and rookie sensation Caitlin Clark did not make the cut.

South Carolina's champion head coach and USA Basketball team committee member Dawn Staley shed light on the selection process and explained that Caitlin's non-inclusion was a matter of timing.

A rookie trying to find her way

When USA Basketball announced Team USA's composition on June 11, Caitlin had just finished a rough stretch in May, during which she and the Fever played nine games in two weeks. For a rookie still trying to acclimate herself to the pro game, it wasn't unusual to see Clark's numbers reflect her struggles.

While the former Iowa Hawkeyes superstar still averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, she had difficulty finding the basket, making only 37 percent of her attempts, including 32 percent from beyond the arc. Moreover, the six-foot guard had trouble protecting the ball, coughing the ball up 5.7 times per game.

To make a long story short, there were players more deserving of a spot on Team USA than Caitlin.

"As a committee member, you're charged with putting together the best team of players, the best talent," Staley said on NBC. " Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA, wasn't playing bad, but wasn't playing like she's playing now."

In addition, Caitlin couldn't attend Team USA's training camp in April, as she was still playing for Iowa in the NCAA tournament.

Related: "The Olympics are a business" - Mark Cuban reiterates his stance that NBA players shouldn't participate in the Olympics

Playing differently now

With 26 games under her belt in the WNBA, the native of Des Moines, Iowa, is now playing with more composure and better decision-making. Now getting the hang of the pro game, she's showcased not only her scoring ability but also her elite playmaking skills.

In her last nine games, Caitlin has averaged a double-double of 18.8 points and 11.9 assists per game. She has also shot the ball better, now making 41 percent of her attempts. More than anything, her performances have helped the Fever get into the playoff race, sitting in seventh place in the standings.

These factors have swayed Staley to reconsider leaving Caitlin off the Olympic squad.

"If we had to do it all over again, the way that she's playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people," the former WNBA veteran turned coach said. "Shooting the ball extremely well, I mean, she is an elite passer; she's just got a great basketball IQ, and she's a little more seasoned in the pro game in a couple of months than she was two months ago."

Clark is making sure to get plenty of rest during the WNBA break. Given how she's played non-stop basketball for nearly a year, she needs every second of it. Rest assured, the savvy guard will be ready to go when the WNBA season resumes.

Related: "I honestly can't wait to not touch a basketball for a while" - Caitlin Clark on how excited she is to be taking a short break from basketball