On X, formerly known as Twitter, critics took issue with Reggie Miller’s suggestion that Caitlin Clark doesn’t deserve a ticket to the Olympics because she’s not the cream of the crop. Some objectors argued that there are more talented players staying home than the 12 women who made the roster. As an unfair addition, one person singled out Phoenix Mercury vet Diana Taurasi, who many people believe snagged the spot that should have gone to Clark. “[E]ither you send the best 12 or you don’t and stop using it as the excuse,” they tweeted. “Several players are performing better than [Taurasi] this year (eg Arike [Ogunbowale]).”
Another critic had a more brutal take, writing, “The people on the team aren’t the best 12 players in the league right now so that argument is played. I’m glad she isn’t on it so these petty, jealous girls can again be watched by nobody.” This is another popular argument about Clark’s exclusion — that fewer viewers will watch the women’s basketball matchups during the Olympics without her on the team. However, viewership is not something the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee considers when choosing team members. Stats and consistency of play are both important, obviously, and Clark hasn’t had much time to prove herself as a pro. But according to NBC 5 Chicago, one of the biggest strikes against her may have been her inability to participate in an Olympic training camp.
