WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark’s exclusion from the upcoming Olympics has taken center stage, overshadowing the roster announcement itself. The marketing opportunity that could have stemmed from Clark’s presence in Paris has been a concern for most, flooding the community in disagreement. Amidst this mayhem, Liberty’s Breanna Stewart sent an encouraging message to the Indiana Fever guard as she eyes the next Olympics.

No matter how the narrative of the W vs. Caitlin Clark is playing out of late, it isn’t the whole truth. Evidently, the vets do look out for the newcomers of the league, sharing insights from their experience. One such would be Stewart’s words for Clark: “Her time will come,” the 2X NBA champion stated as she acknowledged the rookie’s talent.

“Caitlin is a great player and I think the way that she’s kind of came into this league she’s continuing to hold her own and show everyone what she can do. I think that I’m excited to go alongside these 12 but know that Caitlin is going to have a bright future with USA basketball and I think you know the points that she made she’s even more motivated, more hungry and, just knowing that her time is going to come.” 

The New York Liberty forward reasoned her claim as she pointed out Clark’s ‘ability to stretch the floor and to put up giant scoring performances every so often, keeping the guards on alert’. But that is not to say the Fever’s No.22 has mastered it all. “Obviously, there’s a learning curve and you know that as well when you come to the W. So, she’s trying to figure that out,” Stewart remarked on NBA Today.

Clark’s 14 WNBA games have seen her average 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.4 steals. But as Stewart pointed out, there are few things about the trade that the 22-year-old has yet to learn. One of those is surely the exhaustion of the tightly packed WNBA schedule.

WNBA rookies hardly have any break between their collegiate and pro seasons. The draft usually takes place a week after the national championships. Then before the training camp begins, within a short time the rookies have to settle down in a new city amid a huge media following. For Caitlin Clark, the schedule is even more packed. Apart from her abilities, Clark brings a massive viewership to the game. Her minutes per game in the first 10 WNBA games is one of the highest among the No. 1 draft picks over the years.

Referring to this Indiana coach Christie Sides said, “It’s tough. She just got off a college season, went all the way to the Final Four, so she was really, really tired and going into playing the best players in the world. So it’s about recovery and what she needs to do to be ready for the next game.” This difficulty was showing during Indiana’s game against the Atlanta Dream. Clark managed only seven points on 3-for-11 shooting and committed seven turnovers. In the match against the Connecticut Sun, her fatigue was also visible.

Apart from handling the pressure at the pro level, Clark’s inexperience on the international platform might put her in a rough spot. The Olympics are defined by cut-throat competition. An inexperienced Clark might be brutally marked and checked by more experienced players from other countries. This may jeopardize the team’s overall run. But there is another side to the story.

Performance, not popularity, was the key to crafting the Olympic team

Most of the people who are vouching for Clark’s inclusion in the Olympic team are looking at it from a marketing perspective. But while crafting a team for the grandest stage to chase for the country’s eighth straight gold, this is not the only or most important consideration. The proof of the capability of the team members takes precedence here, something that selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti pointed out.

“It would be irresponsible for us to talk about [Clark] in a way other than how she would impact the play of the team. Because it wasn’t the purview of our committee to decide how many people would watch or how many people would root for the U.S. It was our purview to create the best team we could for Cheryl [Reeve],” Rizzotti had explained in response to the controversy.

All these do not necessarily point out that Caitlin is unsuitable. Rather, she needs some time to grow and mature. Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, who will represent the USA for the sixth time in the Olympics this year, pointed out the same. “College basketball is much different than the WNBA than it is overseas. Each one almost is like a different dance you have to learn. And once you learn the steps and the rhythm and you have a skill set that is superior to everyone else, everything else will fall into place,” she told USA Today Sports.

With much to learn, Caitlin Clark also has been well receptive to missing out on the Olympic roster, saying, “I think it just gives you something to work for.” The 22-year-old reveals she takes it as a motivation and hopes to make it to the next Olympics. While she sets in preparation for her first, years later, Stewart will be looking to bag her third gold in the coming months.

Breanna Stewart to lead Team USA

Stewart followed in the footsteps of Rebecca Lobo (1996), Diana Taurasi (2004), and Candace Parker (2008) in making it to the Olympic team as a rookie in 2016. Now, 8 years later, as she seeks a three-peat, she expressed her excitement for the upcoming international event. “What excites me most about Paris is going out with this team, doing what we can to go after that gold medal.” Should the USA stand atop the podium in France, it will be their 10th gold (8th in a row)

The 29-year-old further expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunity to play among some of the best players in the league and, more so, represent the country alongside. She said, “Just the versatility. We have, obviously, D (Diana Taurasi) who’s gonna play in her sixth Olympic games… some of the first-timers… really just understanding that this is the best of the best and all 12 of us are ready to go after to get together… and playing against everyone else in the world.”

The criteria to make it to the national team include versatility to play other positions, adaptability to team concepts, adaptability to international games, and the likelihood of contributing to team success. The national team roster for the Olympic Games is a power-packed contingent, ready to attack and fulfill the Olympic mission to medal.