The women’s team for the Paris Olympics 2024 was recently announced. Although the women on the roster are currently in the middle of their WNBA season, their preparations for the global event have also started. Detailing her excitement for the Olympics, Breanna Stewart, in conversation with Chiney Ogwumike on NBA Today, talked about the Caitlin Clark snub. Additionally, the 29-year-old was all praise for CC despite her not making the team this year.
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Stewart believes that Clark has had a stellar first month in the WNBA. She acknowledged that there’s still so much for her to learn, and Clark seems to be on the right path. She said,
“Obviously there’s a learning curve…when you come to the W, so, she’s trying to figure that out. But she has these games where it’s like you have to guard her wherever she is.”
This will be the third appearance for Stewart in Team USA after 2016 Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Tokyo. On both occasions, they came back home with gold. The two-time WNBA Champion said,
“Honestly, 45 days away is really crazy to think about. But what excites me most about Paris is going out with this team, doing what we can to go after that gold medal and being able to have my friends and family come along.”
Stewart is also looking forward to having a proper Olympics experience because the last one was conducted under the COVID protocols. In the case of Caitlin Clark’s missed opportunity, she said that even though the Fever rookie couldn’t make the team this year, it doesn’t take anything away from her abilities as an athlete.
She said, “I’m excited to go alongside these 12, but know that Caitlin is gonna have a bright future with USA basketball and the points that she made, she is even more motivated and hungry just knowing that her time will come.”
Interestingly, Stewart was part of Team USA in her rookie season, in 2016. She is one of only four women who have made it to the squad in their rookie season. However, Clark has failed to make it into the team and many people alluded to her exclusion to the fact that she is a rookie. Despite being arguably, the most sought-after athlete in the league, Clark will have to wait another four years for her debut.
