Caitlin Clark’s name was not in the the Olympic squad and that created an uproar in the USA as Clark is one of the brightest talents in the country.

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There was much debate surrounding the US women’s basketball team’s roster release. Discussions have been sparked by the exclusion of well-known stars like Arike Ogunbowale and Caitlin Clark, especially after the former stated that their exclusion was due to political considerations.

Many observers and supporters believed that Clark and Ogunbowale had guaranteed spots on the Olympic squad that would play in Paris in 2024. Nevertheless, their names were absent from the list when USA Basketball released it last week.

The most noticeable absence was that of Clark. But Ogunbowale’s exclusion was also apparent. The guard for the Dallas Wings averages 26.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, making her one of the best in her position.

Caitlin Clark

What did Ogunbowale say?

In a chat with Shannon Sharpe, Gilbert Arenas, and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson on the show Nightcap, Ogunbowale said that in terms of the Olympic trials, your game has little bearing on it. So, I took my name out of the pool months ago. It’s really about who they feel fits with the team.

Politics is a big part of US Basketball

Ogunbowale responded affirmatively when Ochocinco asked her if politics played a role in USA Basketball’s selection process during the interview. The Dallas forward gave his assurance in this regard, saying that there’s politics involved in everything from USA Basketball to All-Star teams to the first team and stuff like that. “Even with the men’s [teams playing basketball]. I’m going to stop there since politics permeate everything,” she added.

The group of players in Pool C of the women’s competition in Paris 2024 is led by Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, and Sabrina Ionescu. On Monday, July 29, the American team will play its first match against the Japanese team.