Caitlin Clark

[Cusefan0307]

She's not one of the best 15 American players in the league. I understand her impact to the game but on the court she didn't deserve it.

Either is Taurasi, but she was given the Larry Bird/Magic Johnson treatment.

Ogunbowale has the biggest gripe.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I mean…Laettner made the dream team.

That was the first year of using pros, so he was a bridge between the all college team and the all pro teams. He was, without a doubt, a great college player.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Mainstream sports and general news media did fans a disservice by framing the story as Clark “being left off the team” (which implies she deserved a spot) rather than her failing to earn a spot, which is what actually happened.

Do you think the Gold would have been in doubt if they put her on the team over someone else? They’ve won every Olympics since 1996.

 

[orange79]

Do you think the Gold would have been in doubt if they put her on the team over someone else? They’ve won every Olympics since 1996.

Yup - sometimes you need to look at the bigger picture.

Women's basketball lost a major opportunity here.

 

[orange79]

Prediction: someone named to the team will suffer an "injury" and be replaced by Clark.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Yup - sometimes you need to look at the bigger picture.

Women's basketball lost a major opportunity here.

Nah. 8 million people watched Team USA cruise over Japan for the gold in 2021, and that's with maybe 4 players who the average men's fan would know by name (Bird, Taurasi, Griner and Stewart). They will be fine.

And if Clark was named to the team but only played token minutes (because she isn't on everyone else's level) everyone would complain about how she should playing more every time someone made a mistake or missed a shot. It would be beyond nauseating.

If she's up for it, I wouldn't mind seeing her in a studio commentator role a la Draymond. It's clear she knows ball and is quite polished in front of the camera.

 

[Cuse99&01]

Prediction: someone named to the team will suffer an "injury" and be replaced by Clark.

Chelsea Gray hasn't played in the last 9-10 months because of an injury. Questionable whether she will be ready to play in the Olympics next month.

 

[cuseincincy]

Nah. 8 million people watched Team USA cruise over Japan for the gold in 2021, and that's with maybe 4 players who the average men's fan would know by name (Bird, Taurasi, Griner and Stewart). They will be fine.

And if Clark was named to the team but only played token minutes (because she isn't on everyone else's level) everyone would complain about how she should playing more every time someone made a mistake or missed a shot. It would be beyond nauseating.

If she's up for it, I wouldn't mind seeing her in a studio commentator role a la Draymond. It's clear she knows ball and is quite polished in front of the camera.

This is exactly where I am at. The Laettner argument is empty to me. He was on the team because they decided a college player (soon to be NBA rookie) would be on the team. He didn't belong on the team and he didn't play much at all. Caitlyn Clark is much closer to the level of current WNBA players than Laettner was to NBA players. But Clark also seems to be a player that likes to earn things. I'm sure she would have been fine in a limited bench role just like Laettner was. But the media and many fans would not have been.

CC's impact can't be discounted for many less obvious reasons. I personally have probably watched less than 40 total minutes of the WNBA ever. I didn't have daughters so I never ventured to those games. I know the famous names from college but that's it. This year I watched all 3 Women's Final 4 games and last night I my surfing stopped on the Sun Fever game for about a quarter. And now I'm commenting on page 14 of a message board talking about 1 player. Media and fans need to give CC time to possibly become the pro player she was in college. I think her biggest issue stat wise is she will never see the quality of players she played 90% of her games against in college. That doesn't mean she won't be great, she's not yet at the pro level.

 

[im4cuse]

Chelsea Gray hasn't played in the last 9-10 months because of an injury. Questionable whether she will be ready to play in the Olympics next month.

Exactly. What has she “earned” being out the whole year? Didn’t practice or attend the combines either, which was one of the fraudulent excuses offered up by the haters.

 

[im4cuse]

Either is Taurasi, but she was given the Larry Bird/Magic Johnson treatment.

Ogunbowale has the biggest gripe.

She can play for Nigeria.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Prediction: someone named to the team will suffer an "injury" and be replaced by Clark.

There are alternates but the committee refused to publicize who they are. I imagine if there‘s an injury - they named Chelsea Gray, a guard, to the team despite having an injury preventing her from playing since last year (naming her seemed crazy to me) , Clark possibly could be added.

Ogunbowale is a high volume (over 24 attempts/game), low percentage shooter (39.7% from 2 and 30.0% from 3) that averages 26 points because of the volume and her ft%. No doubt she’s a good player but her offensive efficiency is low. Clark takes less than 13 fg/g in comparison. Ogunbowale is more experienced, this being her 6th year in the league and that seems to be a plus in the committee’s eyes,

 

[Cuse99&01]

Exactly. What has she “earned” being out the whole year? Didn’t practice or attend the combines either, which was one of the fraudulent excuses offered up by the haters.

True. They also mentioned that ALL of the players selected have been participating in combines, camps, world games, etc. over the past few years and Clark hasn't. Well Brittney Griner didn't participate in much of the USA related things over the past few years either.

 

[texascpa]

I simply cannot understand how some are basing her being on the team on her WNBA performance. She's on a horrible team, gets swarmed constantly and has played, what, 13 games. Short-sited thinking.

 

[0.2 YNdeeR]

Prediction: someone named to the team will suffer an "injury" and be replaced by Clark.

Hangnail should do it.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Ahh so what you’re saying is that it’s not always the best players selected to the Olympic teams.

I mean…do they want to elevate their brand or not?

Well, it was either Laettner or Isaiah, so there’s that.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I will admit that I don’t know who all of the best players are in the WNBA, and it is likely that she is not among the top 4-6 guards in the league. Putting her on the team may have actually ruffled some more feathers. She, of course, has said all of the right things. Handling this well may actually make it more likely that the haters will stop the targeting. Might be the best thing for her, in the end.
That said, they did miss a chance to add more eyeballs to the games, but I think most of us watch our country’s teams, not just the players.

 

[longtimefan]

Well, it was either Laettner or Isaiah, so there’s that.

For many years a story has floated around that Jordan blackballed Isiah, telling USA Basketball that he would not participate if Thomas was on the team.

 

[longtimefan]

Well, it was either Laettner or Isaiah, so there’s that.

Here's an interview with Jim Jackson from yesterday's Dan Patrick Show. Jackson gives some details on the Dream Team selection process. He also speaks to the Caitlin Clark omission. What I found interesting is that he (and I assume some other college stars) were upset when USA Basketball decided to go with the NBA players.

 

[im4cuse]

I will admit that I don’t know who all of the best players are in the WNBA, and it is likely that she is not among the top 4-6 guards in the league. Putting her on the team may have actually ruffled some more feathers. She, of course, has said all of the right things. Handling this well may actually make it more likely that the haters will stop the targeting. Might be the best thing for her, in the end.
That said, they did miss a chance to add more eyeballs to the games, but I think most of us watch our country’s teams, not just the players.

The hating will never stop. Watch the many dozens of commentaries on YouTube. The league, it’s “stars” and woke media do not want a straight white girl as the face of the league. But they like the new eye balls, charter flights etc. which is all cuz of them, don’t u know?

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Here's an interview with Jim Jackson from yesterday's Dan Patrick Show. Jackson gives some details on the Dream Team selection process. He also speaks to the Caitlin Clark omission. What I found interesting is that he (and I assume some other college stars) were upset when USA Basketball decided to go with the NBA players.

Well Jackson definitely missed a chance to play in the Olympics. I think we were in on him until the very end, if memory serves ( and it may well not).

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Reading this article, I’m astonished at the complete lack of self awareness Taurisi has.

Diana Taurasi speaks out on Caitlin Clark Olympics snub as backlash intensifies

Taurasi, likely playing in her last Olympics at the age of 42, played on the 2004 team as a 22-year-old and noted the challenges it brought.

nypost.com

Yes, your first time on the Olympic team was when you were the same age as Clark is today. You speak glowingly of the opportunity you had to learn from the greats, yet you never take that next step and say how wonderful it would be if Clark was given the same opportunity.

Moron

 

[Cuse99&01]

Reading this article, I’m astonished at the complete lack of self awareness Taurisi has.

Diana Taurasi speaks out on Caitlin Clark Olympics snub as backlash intensifies

Taurasi, likely playing in her last Olympics at the age of 42, played on the 2004 team as a 22-year-old and noted the challenges it brought.

nypost.com

Yes, your first time on the Olympic team was when you were the same age as Clark is today. You speak glowingly of the opportunity you had to learn from the greats, yet you never take that next step and say how wonderful it would be if Clark was given the same opportunity.

Moron

Yep. She also spoke of how the veterans took her under their wing. As a veteran she is not returning the favor to a certain young player.

 

[Willy75]

The hating will never stop. Watch the many dozens of commentaries on YouTube. The league, it’s “stars” and woke media do not want a straight white girl as the face of the league. But they like the new eye balls, charter flights etc. which is all cuz of them, don’t u know?

There's a reason you, me and many others don't know the best players in the WNBA. Up to now not many people cared. They're shooting themselves in both feet leaving Clark off the team.
Btw does Taurasi really need six gold medals against overmatched competition?

 

[Charbroil]

There's a reason you, me and many others don't know the best players in the WNBA. Up to now not many people cared. They're shooting themselves in both feet leaving Clark off the team.
Btw does Taurasi really need six gold medals against overmatched competition?

What exactly is the reason?

 

[Willy75]

What exactly is the reason?

The next sentence.