Who is on US Olympic women's basketball team for 2024 Paris Games? Reactions to Caitlin Clark missing final cut
Despite participating with Team USA for its final training for the 2024 Paris Olympics back in March, Caitlin Clark reportedly will not be making the trip overseas with the final roster.
According to "The Athletic's" Shams Charania, Clark is expected to be left off the 12-player final roster. It was confirmation of an earlier report from The USA TODAY Network's Christine Brennan. The Fever star has been a lightning rod since being picked No. 1 in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and earned Rookie of the Month honors for May with 17.6 points per game, 6.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds.
The roster is clearly geared toward veterans from top to bottom, with Aces stars A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum serving as headliners and the likes of Diana Taurasi and Brittany Griner also getting spots. Three first-time Olympians will be on the team: The Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu, the Mercury's Kahleah Copper and the Sun's Alyssa Thomas.
Clark, 22, is coming off a monster night against the Washington Mystics in which the venue was changed to the Wizards' Capital One Arena. The largest WNBA crowd in 17 years — 20,333 — watched Clark put up 30 points with eight rebounds and six assists. She hit seven threes on the night.
REQUIRED READING: 20,000 fans packed DC arena to root on Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever? Sure sounded like it.
Team USA women's basketball roster for 2024 Paris Olympics
Here's a look at the 2024 women's roster for the Olympics, which doesn't feature any of this year's notable rookies. The Sparks' Cameron Brink and the Sky's Angel Reese were left off Team USA. Kamilla Cardoso will be playing for her home country Brazil.
A'ja Wilson -- Las Vegas Aces
Kelsey Plum -- Las Vegas Aces
Jackie Young -- Las Vegas Aces
Chelsea Gray -- Las Vegas Aces
Sabrina Ionescu -- New York Liberty
Breanna Stewart -- New York Liberty
Napheesa Collier -- Minnesota Lynx
Diana Taurasi -- Phoenix Mercury
Brittney Griner -- Phoenix Mercury
Kahleah Copper -- Phoenix Mercury
Jewell Loyd -- Seattle Storm
Alyssa Thomas -- Connecticut Sun
The Aces representation is hardly surprising — they are the two-time defending champions, after all. The youngest players on the roster are Jackie Young and Ionescu at 26 years old. Ionescu is a few months younger than Young.
USA women's basketball Olympic gold medals
USA women's basketball has historically been wildly successful.
The team has participated in 11 Olympic Games and medaled in all of them. It has nine gold medals (1984, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) and a silver (1976) and bronze (1992) each. It has won gold in the last seven Summer Games.
Who is coaching Team USA for women's basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve is taking the helm for the United States.
Reeve is taking the mantle from 2020 coach Dawn Staley, who just led South Carolina to national championship over Clark's Hawkeyes in March. Reeve was an assistant coach for the past two Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Reactions to Caitlin Clark not being on 2024 Olympic team
The WNBA world was somewhat stunned to learn of Clark being left off the roster, however, it wasn't an entirely shocking decision based on the depth of the league and team's historical preference for experience. Taurasi, for her part, is going for her sixth gold medal.
Why leaving Caitlin Clark off the 2024 US Olympic women’s basketball team matters, a lot. I’ve reported on the team at every Olympics since 1984. I’ve watched the stunning lack of coverage & lack of interest every time. Here are four sections of my Feb column on this exact topic: pic.twitter.com/MjwqeVQdR8
— Christine Brennan (@cbrennansports) June 8, 2024
Caitlin Clark not being at the Olympics will disappoint many people, including her, but she could use a break. https://t.co/OnccutrrUe
— Keith Murphy (@MurphyKeith) June 8, 2024
By the time the Olympics come around Caitlin Clark would've been on her 10th straight month of high level basketball. Honestly, I think an actual break will be a good thing for her.
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) June 8, 2024
i love watching caitlin clark play basketball. im sad she won't be with Team USA
the reality is 11 of those players are better than her right now and i dare you to tell diana taurasi she isn't going to paris lol (this isn't DT hate she is literally 42!!!)— Matt Ellentuck (@mellentuck) June 8, 2024
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark left off US Olympic women's basketball team for 2024 Paris Games