Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark eased her way into the All-WNBA First Team with 302 points in voting, raising questions about why she wasn't selected for the Paris Olympics .
Clark capped off her record rookie season with yet another honor after already being crowned WNBA Rookie of the Year . She was named in the First Team alongside Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, Las Vegas Aces league MVP A'ja Wilson, two-time WNBA champion and former two-time league MVP Breanna Stewart, and all-time WNBA triple-double leader Alyssa Thomas.
Clark finished a whopping 77 points ahead of Thomas in the vote and only 33 behind Collier and Wilson, who both received the most points with 335. Tellingly, Clark finished with 98 more points than Second Team pick Sabrina Ionescu.
Clark became the first rookie guard named in the All-WNBA First-Team since Diana Taurasi in 2004 and was the only rookie to be listed on either the First or Second Team. It was a stunning season for Clark, who led the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Clark was a surprise omission from Team USA's roster for the Olympics, and it was the first time in Olympic history that the U.S. women's basketball 5-on-5 team didn't have a player under the age of 25. Team USA went on to win gold in Paris, but based on the end-of-season voting it's clear that WNBA media members believe she should have been there.
USA Basketball felt the pressure to select Clark for the Olympics, but selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti explained why the rookie was overlooked. "Here's the basketball criteria that we were given as a committee and how do we evaluate our players based on that?" Rizzotti told The Associated Press .
"And when you base your decision on criteria, there were other players that were harder to cut because they checked a lot more boxes. Then sometimes it comes down to position, style of play for [coach Cheryl Reeve], and then sometimes a vote."
USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley added: "It's a great mix of talent across the board in terms of individual skill sets. We have veterans, newcomers and those in the middle. Good perspective and continuity is such an important thing and is why we've been successful in the Olympics."
Tooley added: "She's certainly going to continue to get better and better. Really hope that she's a big part of our future going forward."
Clark showed her class when learning she'd not been selected to represent Team USA in Paris, and vowed to continue working hard in the hopes that she could make the roster in 2028 when the Olympics is hosted in Los Angeles, CA. "I think it just gives you something to work for," Clark told reporters after the Olympic team selection was made.
"It's a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it's just a little more motivation. You remember that. Hopefully, when four years comes back around, I can be there."
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