Morbidity is served: Caitlin Clark may be a sparring partner for Team USA Olympic after not including her

Clark could play against Team USA as soon as July 20

Caitlin ClarkLAPRESSE

Caitlin Clark was not surprised to learn she missed out on being picked by Team USA for the Olympic Games in France but everyone else seemed outraged that the most marketable player in the WNBA wouldn’t get a shot at gold. But she could still play against her nation: here’s how.

The overall first pick of the draft has lit up the WNBA on and off the court, bringing in a wave of unprecedented interest to professional women’s basketball whilst she has also shot for 30+ points on multiple occasions as a rookie.

Unfortunately, her star power wasn’t enough for the Indiana Fever ace to be picked by Cheryl Reeve as the USA look for their eighth gold medal in a row. However, she could already get her revenge as soon as July 20 in a special one-off game.

Team USA will take on the WNBA All-Stars as part of its preparations for the Games in France, and as the rookie of the month for May, Clark might well find herself selected to the roster and with a chance to prove why she was wrong to be snubbed.

“The highs and lows of Clark’s first 13 WNBA games have been thoroughly covered and analyzed,” ESPN said, naming her to their predicted roster. “But between the heavily weighted fan vote and her overall solid career start, she’ll likely be headed to Phoenix.

“The rookie, who ranks fourth in the league in assists per game, joins Olympian Jackie Young as the only players this season averaging at least 16 points and six assists.

“Regardless of whether you think Clark should have made the Olympic team, it’s hard to deny that it’s a tantalizing prospect to see her go against Team USA as part of the WNBA All-Stars.”

How will the All-Stars vs Team USA voting work?

Voting begins on June 13 with fans being allowed to cast their ballots for who should be named to the All-Star team as part of the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game in Arizona, making up 50% of the vote weight.

Current WNBA players will pick at a value of 25% and the media members will also pick at the same value of 25%. Then, the Top 10 votes will be named to the All-Star Game. Those not already on Team USA will face Team WNBA.

“People Forget He’s a Rookie”- Luka Doncic Eases Expectations on Dereck Lively II Following Game 4 Performance

Luka Doncic and Dereck Lively II (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The Dallas Mavericks had the last opportunity to remain in the NBA Finals, and they made the most of it by snatching a 122-84 win in Game 4 over the Boston Celtics. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving mostly looked after the offense. However, they needed a third player who would come through to make an impact. The player was none other than Mavs rookie Dereck Lively II. His outstanding performance earned him praise from the franchise’s superstar.

During the post-game press conference, Doncic’s face lit up when asked to share his thoughts about Lively. Praising his teammate for the double-double contribution, the Slovenian said, “I think people forget he’s a rookie doing this stuff. He’s been amazing the whole season, just watching him grow has been unbelievable.”

Friday night was the first time since mid-November last year that Lively attempted a shot from behind the 3-point arc. But when Doncic passed him the ball, the 7-foot-1 center could hold himself back and shot a marvelous bucket from the deep. He finished the night with 11 points and 12 rebounds by shooting 4-of-5 from the floor.

However, his on-court performance helped the Mavs maintain their supremacy in the game, and his off-court actions also benefitted the team.