Though Team USA is performing exceptionally well and is scheduled to play the semi-finals against Australia, one athlete who is making her presence felt, despite not being included, is Caitlin Clark. Dave Portnoy was present in the BFFs: Dave Portnoy, Josh Richards & Bri Chickenfry show on Wednesday when he showed no mercy for the A’ja Wilson-led Team USA and instead chose to side with Clark regarding her Olympics snub.

“Dawn Staley says Caitlin Clark would have been highly considered for USA team…I saw this, this is a week, two weeks ago. Dawn Staley revealed that Caitlin Clark would have been in high consideration making the USA team, a few months ago, she playing in the WNBA like she’s playing now. Well, she’s dominating the WNBA. She should have been on the team. They have the worst ratings, I think, of any Women’s Basketball team like not just women’s basketball like, all the other country games are outdrawing United States because they no Caitlin. Wow, get what you deserve,” Portney stated, via BFFs: Dave Portnoy, Josh Richards & Bri Chickenfry.

Possibly, one of the major reasons for not including Clark on the team was that the 22-year-old did not attend the Team USA training camp. Clark was plying her trade in the NCAA when the camp took place in April. However, her exclusion drew a lot of flak from her supporters who even compared her stats with that of Diana Taurasi and opined that she deserved a place ahead of the 42-year-old veteran. And Clark’s snub can be seen in the ratings, as per Portnoy.

The opening game against Japan drew an average of 3 million viewers. This was more than the viewers during the Tokyo Olympics. As per SBJ editor Austin Karp, only 4 WNBA games have attracted an audience of at least 3 million viewers. Hence, the Paris Olympics seem to be winning the hearts of Team USA fans. Nonetheless, as per Portnoy, much like how the celebrated journalist Stephen A. Smith had sided with Clark, her presence could have brought more audience to watch the game. But, this is quite the opposite of what The Washington Post columnist Candace Buckner thinks.

Does Candace Buckner side with Caitlin Clark?

Buckner sat down with a peer journalist Jerry Brewer on Wednesday to discuss Clark’s absence from the Paris Olympics. He stressed winning the gold instead of paying attention to TV ratings. “Right now, let the best players who deserve their spots have their sign,” Buckner reasoned via The Sports Moments podcast. Similarly, Brewer too sided with Buckner enumerating that, “You can’t equate an American crowd with Caitlin Clark to France.”

On top of that, Brewer also expounded that a gold in the Paris Olympics at this point will affect women’s basketball way more than it will do to their male counterpart’s game. Hence, the main point of discussion should be bagging that eighth consecutive gold.

But alas, that’s not how Portnoy feels. Who could be right? Were the officials correct in snubbing Caitlin Clark? Or did she deserve a place in the Paris Olympics team? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.