Did Diana Taurasi steal Caitlin Clark’s 2024 Olympics roster spot? Social media sounds off

We recently wrote about the backlash over Caitlin Clark’s omission from the 2024 Paris Olympics USA Women’s Basketball roster … and Brittney Griner’s inclusion.

But another selection for the team over Clark is also drawing the ire of many women’s basketball fans.

The selection of Griner’s teammate, Diana Taurasi.

Social media sounded off on Taurasi’s inclusion on the team, speculating that she stole Clark’s bid on Team USA, with many citing Clark’s numbers this season as arguably better than Taurasi’s.

It appears that Taurasi, 42, will get a chance to go for a 6th gold medal this summer, while Clark, 22, will miss a chance to win a first.

Interestingly, Taurasi first appeared in the Olympics in 2004 in Athens when she was 22.

Sports host addresses Caitlin Clark vs. Diana Taurasi debate

FOX Sports’ Nick Wright said Clark could have been put on the Olympic team even though she isn’t considered one of the best players in the WNBA, saying “that door somewhat got opened by Diana Taurasi’s inclusion.”

He continued: “They’re having a shockingly similar season. So points and rebounds are basically identical. Field goal percentage is identical. Caitlin has way more assists and way more turnovers to go along with it. Diana has very few assists, very few turnovers. Caitlin is not yet in her prime, Diana’s past her prime. Diana I think got in because she’s Diana-freaking-Taurasi and she deserves it, but you then can’t say we’re just doing out 12 best.”

Social media reacts to Diana Taurasi getting picked over Caitlin Clark for Olympics

Many on social media weren’t afraid to take the gloves off in their takes slamming Taurasi’s selection for the women’s basketball team in Paris and Clark’s snub, with many making their arguments comparing Taurasi and Clark’s numbers, like Wright.

What Diana Taurasi had to say about Caitlin Clark’s omission

Taurasi interestingly addressed Clark’s omission from the U.S. women’s national team for the Olympics in a recent interview with USA TODAY Sports.

“The game of basketball is all about evolving. It’s all about getting comfortable with your surroundings,” Taurasi said. “College basketball is much different than the WNBA than it is overseas. Each one almost is like a different dance you have to learn. And once you learn the steps and the rhythm and you have a skill set that is superior to everyone else, everything else will fall into place.”

She also said this about playing for the 2004 U.S. Olympic team shortly after graduating from UConn in 2004: “I was the youngest on that team by far. Just amazing veterans took me under their wing and really showed me the ropes,” Taurasi says of playing with all-time greats such as Lisa Leslie, Cheryl Miller, Dawn Staley and Tina Thompson.

“Talk about the Mount Rushmore of basketball, I was right there watching their every move. The way they prepared. How serious they took it. I had to learn the ropes too.”

This is bound to not be the end of the outcry over the fact that Clark will not have chance to “learn the ropes” in Paris.

What Diana Taurasi had to say about Caitlin Clark in the WNBA

At the Women’s Final Four in April, Taurasi turned heads with her “reality is coming” comments about Clark.

“Look, SVP, reality is coming,” Taurasi told SportsCenter’s Scott Van Pelt about Clark on April 6. “There’s levels to this thing. And that’s just life. We all went through it. You see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side. You look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to (be playing against) some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

Taurasi continued: “Not saying (Clark’s skills) are not gonna translate, because when you’re great at what you do, you’re just gonna get better. But there is gonna be a transition period where you’re gonna have to give yourself some grace as a rookie.”

After backlash over those comments, Taurasi later said: “The new fans are really sensitive these days and you can’t say anything. It’s kind of like when you go from kindergarten to first grade there’s a learning adjustment, when you go from high school to college there’s a learning adjustment. I don’t think I said anything that wasn’t factually correct. Like anything, greatness is going to translate and she’s proven that in every level and I don’t see that being any different in the WNBA.”