Team USA women's basketball roster has not been finalized for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris – which start on July 26 – but we can answer one question right now.
Caitlin Clark should be on the team.
The final roster is expected to be released in early June, and it has the potential to be another step in the evolution of women's basketball in the United States. College basketball and the WNBA are increasing in popularity – the ratings reflect that – and that should spill over into the Summer Olympics.
In April, Lisa Leslie – a four-time gold medalist for Team USA – was asked by Sporting News if Clark should be on the roster.
"One hundred percent," Leslie told SN. "One thousand percent. I can't even let you get the question out. I don't know how you leave the country without her."
That said, Team USA will have to make a few tough cuts ahead of the competition. Will Clark make the cut? Here are the reasons why she should.
MORE: Projecting Team USA's women's roster
Who is on Team USA women's roster?
As of now, Clark is not on the Team USA roster – which will send 12 players to Paris. These are the 13 players who trained in Cleveland from April 3-5, and that includes nine players who have experience in the Summer Olympics. A look at that roster:
| PLAYER | POS. | HT. | WNBA TEAM | PAST OLYMPICS |
| Ariel Atkins | G | 5-8 | Washington Mystics | 2020 |
| Shakira Austin | F | 6-5 | Washington Mystics | - |
| Aliyah Boston | F | 6-5 | Indiana Fever | - |
| Chelsea Gray | G | 5-11 | Las Vegas Aces | 2020 |
| Brittney Griner | C | 6-9 | Phoenix Mercury | 2016, '20 |
| Rhyne Howard | G | 6-2 | Atlanta Dream | - |
| Sabrina Ionescu | G | 5-11 | New York Liberty | - |
| Jewell Loyd | G | 5-10 | Seattle Storm | 2020 |
| Kelsey Plum | G | 5-8 | Las Vegas Aces | 2020, 3 vs. 3 |
| Breanna Stewart | C | 6-4 | New York Liberty | 2016, '20 |
| Diana Taurasi | G | 6-0 | Phoenix Mercury | 2004, '08, '12, '16, '20 |
| A'ja Wilson | F | 6-5 | Las Vegas Aces | 2020 |
| Jackie Young | G | 6-0 | Las Vegas Aces | 2020, 3 vs. 3 |
That roster includes four players from the Las Vegas Aces, which won the WNBA Finals last season. There are seven players with Team USA experience. Young and Plum won gold medals on the 3-on-3 team in the Tokyo Olympics.
Clark did not participate in the training camp in Cleveland because she was in the Women's Final Four with Iowa. Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve, who coaches the Minnesota Lynx – still has the option to invite Clark to the team.
Caitlin Clark will drive higher Olympics TV ratings
This is indisputable. Clark was part of a season that drew unprecedented ratings to women's college basketball. A total of 18.9 million viewers watched the national championship game between Iowa and South Carolina. WNBA viewership also is setting records, and a rookie class that includes Clark, Cameron Brink and Angel Reese has been a factor in that rise in popularity.
That would carry over to the Summer Olympics. It's a loose comparison, but putting Clark on the team would be similar to the impact Michael Jordan made at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Granted that team had only college players at the time – so it's not perfect – but it created excitement for Jordan's rookie year in the NBA. How did that turn out?
Clark would both drive ratings for the Olympics and draw even more interest in the WNBA. That's a win-win situation.
It's not a bold prediction to say Team USA women's breaks will break ratings records if Clark is on the roster – even in a reserve role. Would that be a distraction? We're talking about a team that has won seven straight gold medals and hasn't lost a game in Olympic competition since 1992.
Caitlin Clark's WNBA stats show she is ready for Olympics
The Athletic pointed out one of the reasons why Clark might be left off ahead of that training camp on May 7. "Putting Clark on the roster could be a polarizing decision for the committee because she hasn't been in a senior team camp yet, and that goes against the ‘pay your dues with Team USA' ideal."
That is a fair point because all 13 players on the roster are deserving of a trip to Paris, too. This still feels like it is not too soon to put Clark on the team, however.
Clark has proven she can play at the WNBA level. Through nine games, she ranks 13th in the league with 17.9 points, 6.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds. The only other players in the league with a line of 15-5-4 or better are Young and Ionescu – two more young stars looking to make the team.
What else could Clark offer? You already know the answer. She is one of the most dazzling three-point shooters in all of basketball. Plum (36.7%) and Taurasi (36.1%) have been better than Clark (32%) in 3-point percentage this season, but Clark gives Team USA yet another viable long-distance shot-maker.
It is a limited sample, but Clark has shown superstar potential at the next level – which should not be a surprise.
— Micah Adams (@MAdamsStatGuy) May 29, 2024Historic rookies compared @CaitlinClark22 so far…
- 17.3 points... more than Diana Taurasi (17.0 in 2004)
- 6.3 assists... more than Sue Bird (6.0 in 2002)
- 2.6 made 3s... more than Sabrina Ionescu (2.3 in 2020)
- 5.4 rebounds... more than Maya Moore (4.6 in 2011)Not bad!
Leaving Caitlin Clark off Olympics roster would linger
It makes more sense to put Clark on the roster than leave her off, even if it means making a hard roster decision.
That might be the question no matter what. Team USA women's basketball roster has had few controversies, with the exception of leaving Candace Parker off the 2016 team. Parker missed half of the 2015 regular season with injuries.
The Team USA men's basketball team has had a few controversies. The 1992 "Dream Team" might have been the best basketball team ever assembled, but to this day fans wonder why Isiah Thomas was left off the team. The men have won the gold medal in seven of the last eight Olympics. The year they didn't – 2004 – is best remembered for Larry Brown not playing LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony enough. James averaged 11.5 minutes. Anthony averaged 6.7 minutes. How did that turn out?
It is needless for Team USA women's basketball team to create a controversy here. Clark has been the driving force behind a transformational year for the women's game at both levels – one that has drawn more casual observers who could become life-long fans. It is only fitting that Clark be a part of that celebration in Paris.
Twenty years from now, do you want those fans still asking, "Why wasn't Caitlin Clark on that team?"
We can answer that question, too.
