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Caitlin Clark reacts to not making 2024 Olympics team

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Social Links for Jared Schwartz
Published June 9, 2024, 2:22 p.m. ET

Caitlin Clark took the high road.

But her exclusion from the U.S. Women’s Olympic team added another chip to her shoulder.

“I’m excited for the girls that are on the team,” Clark said on Sunday, her first comments since the roster was revealed. “I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could’ve gone either way, me being on the team or me not being on the team. I’m excited for them, gonna be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, it’ll be fun to watch them.”

Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark did not make the U.S. Women’s Olympic roster. Getty Images

Clark’s being snubbed drew intense criticism given her stature as one of the best and most popular rookies to ever enter the WNBA.

She starred collegiately at Iowa before the Indiana Fever drafted her No. 1 overall this year.

While Clark didn’t complain, Fever head coach Christie Sides said that Clark told her “they woke a monster” with the decision.

Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark reacts on Sunday to not making the U.S. Women’s Olympic roster. Screengrab

“Honestly, no disappointment,” Clark said. “I think it just gives you something to work for. It’s a dream, hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little bit more motivation. You remember that and hopefully when four years comes back around, I can be there.”

Clark said that she was told by the team that she didn’t make it before news got out.

“They called me and let me know before everything came out, which was really respectful of them and I appreciated that,” Clark said. “They did the same for every girl that made the team or every girl that didn’t make the team. There’s a lot of players in the Olympic pool, so it wasn’t like I was the only one they had to call. They had to make quite a few calls.”

There is one positive for Clark in not making the team — she’ll finally have a chance to rest.

She had barely any time off between finishing her Iowa career and starting the WNBA season with the Fever, but not playing in the Olympics means she’ll finally have some down time.

“It’s gonna be really nice,” Clark said. “I’ve loved competing every single second, but it’s gonna a great month for my body to get rest and get healthy and get a little time away from basketball and the craziness of everything that’s been going on.”