Report: Caitlin Clark fan reaction factored into decision to leave Fever star off Team USA

The Caitlin Clark drama took another turn Saturday after news broke that she was left off of the Team USA roster for the 2024 Olympics.

USA Today’s Christine Brennan reported the Clark fan reaction since she went No. 1 overall out of Iowa to the Indiana Fever factored into the decision. There’s been an unprecedented buzz about women’s basketball and the WNBA, largely due to Clark and a popular 2024 draft class.

But if Clark was included on this year’s USA roster, there’d be limited playing time behind established veterans and officials did not want backlash from fans.

“Two other sources, both long-time U.S. basketball veterans with decades of experience in the women’s game, told USA TODAY Sports Friday that concern over how Clark’s millions of fans would react to what would likely be limited playing time on a stacked roster was a factor in the decision making,” Brennan wrote.

“If true, that would be an extraordinary admission of the tension that this multi-million-dollar sensation, who signs autographs for dozens of children before and after every game, has caused for the old guard of women’s basketball. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.”

Clark was the No. 1 overall pick coming out of Iowa this spring for the Fever. After averaging 31.6 points, 8.9 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game in her final season at Iowa, Clark has attempted to make a quick transition to the WNBA. She is currently averaging 15.6 points, 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game as a rookie, but numbers do not overcome drama in the sport right now.

Clark loves how much attention women’s basketball is getting, but she feels like people are focusing on the wrong things. She would rather there be more conversations about the basketball on the court and the great players in the league than the way she is being treated.

“My focus is basketball. Sometimes it stinks how much the conversation is outside of basketball and not the product on the floor and the amazing players that are on the floor and how good they are for their teams and how great this season has been for women’s basketball and college basketball to now the WNBA,” Clark said. “Some of the crowds are unprecedented and have never been seen before and the viewership’s amazing. But yeah, I mean I try to block it out. I don’t have social media on my phone. I don’t go on it. I don’t see a lot of it.”

Riley Gates contributed to this story