How Caitlin Clark Became the Youngest Legend in a ‘Dead’ Sport

Caitlin Clark reveals what she really thinks about her Olympics snub

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark revealed her true feelings about being left off the United States Olympic basketball team over the past summer during the Paris games.

Clark, who was named TIME Magazine’s ‘Athlete of the Year’, did a wide-ranging interview that covered a myriad of topics – including her non-inclusion in the roster.

While Team USA was winning gold medals in the City of Lights, Clark was back at home watching things unfold from afar.

But as she told the outlet, she didn’t want the narrative about her snub to distract from the team – nor did she want to be included solely because of the eyeballs that would tune in to the sport.

‘I don’t want to be there because I’m somebody that can bring attention,’ she told the magazine in an interview released on Tuesday. ‘I love that for the game of women’s basketball.

‘But at the same time, I want to be there because they think I’m good enough. I don’t want to be some little person that is kind of dragged around for people to cheer about and only watch because I’m sitting on the bench.’

Caitlin Clark opened up on her snub from Team USA for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games

Clark was named 2024’s TIME Magazine ‘Athlete of the Year’ on Tuesday morning

Like it or not, Clark’s absence was still a major story line that followed Team USA throughout the tournament.

Discussions were often toxic, not unlike the same discourse that surrounded her throughout her rookie WNBA season.

Of course, this isn’t the fault of Clark – as her popularity continued to grow and bring eyeballs to the sport throughout the year.

Clark also revealed her reasons for forgoing the Unrivaled 3-v-3 basketball league during the offseason, saying, ‘It’s going to be good for me to do my own thing and have my own space. I kind of want to just stay out of the spotlight.’

Rather than bring Clark, Team USA brought guards Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray, Diana Taurasi, and Jackie Young – all of whom played roles in bringing the gold back to the US.