Caitlin Clark gave her detractors a lesson in class with these five words about not making the U.S. Olympics
Despite breathing new life into women’s basketball, WNBA star Caitlin Clark has been treated like a wicked stepchild by the other players in the league.
She’s faced everything from trash talk to physical assaults on the court.
But Caitlin Clark gave her detractors a lesson in class with these five words about not making the U.S. Olympics.
Caitlin Clark gives the WNBA relevance
Women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark won the hearts of millions of Americans earlier this year during her run to the NCAA Women’s National Championship game with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
She’s now playing in the WNBA for the Indiana Fever after they selected her as the number-one pick in this year’s draft.
Clark’s appearance at the draft drew a record number of views and she sold more jerseys on the first day than any player in any sport.
Her presence is breathing much-needed new life into the formerly dying WNBA.
The WNBA set a record in ratings and attendance during the first month of the new season thanks to Clark.
“Roughly 400,000 fans attended games across the WNBA during May, making the largest attendance in 26 years for the opening month of a season, and the league boasted that more than half of all WNBA games had been sellouts, which was a 156% increase from the prior year,” the New York Post reported.
But other WNBA players are not grateful for the record viewers Clark brings to women’s basketball.
She’s been attacked – verbally and physically – by several jealous players in the league.
Caitlin Clark reacts to Olympic snub
And fans were shocked recently to see Caitlin Clark’s name missing from the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team.
But she turned the disappointing news into a lesson in class for the other players in the WNBA.
“I’m excited for the girls,” Clark said. “I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could have gone either way — me being on the team or me not being on the team. I’m going to be rooting them on to win gold.”
“I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, so it will be fun to watch them,” Clark added.
Reporters asked Clark if she was disappointed when she found out she did not make the Olympics roster.
“Honestly, no disappointment,” Clark said. “It just gives me something to work for – it’s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there.”
She said, “It’s just a little more motivation.”
Of course, Clark has only played 12 games as a professional basketball player.
And she’s only 22.
The youngest player on the U.S. Olympics roster for women’s basketball is 26.
Clark will certainly be on the list in four years if she stays healthy and keeps improving.