Robert Griffin III Highlights a Silver Lining to Caitlin Clark’s Paris Olympics Snub Amid Strong Backlash

WNBA star Caitlin Clark, who is making waves amid rising popularity, has had an outsized impact on the game. A recent matchup featuring her team in a massive arena of 20,000 plus seats sold out in just 30 minutes! Now that’s Clark’s power on the sport.

Despite her immense popularity and sold-out games, Clark was surprisingly left out of the US Olympic team.  Instead, veterans like Diana Taurasi and A’ja Wilson earned their spots in the Olympics. However, former NFL star Robert Griffin III sees a silver lining here. 

RG3 feels the Olympic snub is a blessing in disguise for the WNBA star

Robert Griffin III argued on X that Clark’s presence would benefit ”the growth of the sport. The broadcast partners. The other women on the team through increased visibility.” RG3 then flips the script by asking, “Who benefits from her being off the team?” And he answers the query: “Caitlin Clark.” He argues that Clark, already the most popular WNBA player, wouldn’t necessarily deserve a spot over established veterans who earned their selection. Choosing her could widen the already existing gap in fan coverage within the sport.

Realistically, the team’s dominance speaks for itself as RG3 noted, “The USA Women’s team will win with or without Caitlin Clark even if fewer people watch it. They have won 7 straight Olympic Gold Medals with a 70-3 record at the Olympics.” He, thus, sees this as an opportunity for Clark. A break could be beneficial with her college career ending and intense media scrutiny surrounding her. She can “rest, have an offseason, and fully earn her spot on the next team the right way.”

By dissecting the pros and cons of the situation, he also raises a critical question: “Why won’t the masses support the women on the team who are better players, have earned the opportunity based on merit, and have been dominant for so long?” It seems this has been a lingering question for the former Ravens quarterback.

The former quarterback’s words on Caitlin Clark sparks debate

Robert Griffin III is in a tricky situation right now. He acknowledged Caitlin Clark’s star power, saying she had “supercharged the WNBA’s eyeballs” with her popularity. However, his comments trying to balance that with the accomplishments of veterans like Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart landed him in “hot water” with Clark’s fans.

Some time ago, in a chat with host MJ Acosta, he said, “If it wasn’t for Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, and Candace Parker… if it wasn’t for them, there is no groundwork for Caitlin Clark to take it to the moon.” He also pointed out how legends like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird elevated the NBA, paving the way for future players.

This sparked a backlash, with some feeling RG3 had downplayed Clark’s impact. Perhaps in response, he released a lengthy post analyzing her Olympic snub. It seems RGIII wants to celebrate both Clark’s excitement and the achievements of those who paved the way, but his initial comments caused a stir.