Now that the 2024 Paris Games are over and the U.S. team defeated France 67-66 to win gold, it’s only natural for fans to start looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics. This is pure speculation, as the Los Angeles Games are still four years away, but WNBA phenom Caitlin Clark will be on the roster after being cut from the U.S. basketball team’s roster this year.

When Clark was not selected for the 2024 USA Basketball Team, opposing opinions quickly erupted. It seemed like almost everyone had an opinion on whether the Indiana Fever player should have made the cut. From statistics to experimental rosters, everyone was either against or in favor of Clark competing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Several fans felt she had been cheated out of her rightful place on the Olympic team. Clark’s arrival in the WNBA brought back attendance. The opponents the Indiana Fever faced during her rookie season moved to different stadiums to accommodate the unprecedented influx of fans. It was evident that Clark was changing the game of women’s basketball.

In addition to attendance, the No. 1 overall pick also broke league records in her rookie season. Clark scored or assisted on 66 points for Indiana, the best single-game performance in WNBA history.

Fans were convinced that their presence at the Paris Games would undoubtedly exceed previous ratings.

Others felt she didn’t have enough of a resume to be part of a legendary team. Team USA consisted of the best players in the WNBA, including A’ja Wilson, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum.

Several people felt that Clark did not meet the selection criteria of the Player Selection Committee. Clark never played against the best international players during her time at Iowa, only against college players. Her lack of experience was ultimately the reason she was not included on the roster.

The controversy surrounding Clark’s omission forced Team USA to defend its decision, with Dawn Staley stating that Clark played at a higher level in the second half of the season, when the selection process was already complete.

“As a committee member, you’re responsible for putting together the best team of players and the best talent,” Staley told NBC. “Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA, she hasn’t played badly, but not like she’s played now. If we had to do it all over again, she would be really high on the list with the way she’s playing now because she’s way above a lot of other players.”

Naturally, after the selection for Team USA was announced, the media asked Clark for her own opinion.

“Hopefully I can be there one day,” she told reporters after a practice in June. “I think it’s just a little more motivation. It’s something you remember. Hopefully I can be there again when I’m back in four years.”

If Clark’s career lives up to her fans’ expectations, she will surely make it into the 2028 Olympic squad.

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