
The exclusion of Caitlin Clark from Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has been a major topic in women’s basketball.
Clark, the WNBA Rookie of the Year, was notably absent from the roster, which sparked criticism toward national team head coach Cheryl Reeve.
Reeve, who is also the head coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Lynx, recently opened up about the selection process.
She clarified that the head coach has little influence over who makes the final national team roster.
“I think what people don’t get about it… is the coach of the national team truly has no power in the selection of the team,” Reeve explained on the “Good Game with Sarah Spain” podcast produced by iHeartPodcasts, as part of the company’s new Women’s Sports Audio Network.
Reeve used the example of her own player, Kayla McBride, to emphasize her lack of control over roster decisions.
During preparations for the 2022 World Cup, Reeve believed McBride had performed well enough at camp to be included in the next round.
However, Reeve learned at the last moment that McBride was cut from the team, highlighting the limited input she had.
“I thought K-MAC had a tremendous camp… but I learned at the 11th hour that they cut my player,” Reeve said.
Reeve took the brunt of the criticism following Clark’s exclusion, despite having no direct authority over the final roster.
“I took a lot of bullets for USA basketball… it is what it is,” Reeve stated. She acknowledged that in today’s world, blame is often assigned regardless of the circumstances.
Reeve reiterated that the selection process involves a committee, not just the head coach.
Despite not being selected for Team USA, Clark has had a breakout rookie season in the WNBA. She averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game for the Indiana Fever, earning her the league’s Rookie of the Year award.
Her all-around performance has placed her among the league’s top young talents, solidifying her status as a rising star.
Currently, Clark and the Fever are competing in the first round of the WNBA playoffs against the Connecticut Sun.