The ‘farewell present' that played a part in Caitlin Clark's Olympic snub
The women's basketball phenom was already facing an uphill battle to make the U.S. women's basketball team heading to Paris for the Summer Olympics, which included the fact that despite there being 12 roster spots available, one had already been promised to Diana Taurasi.
Brennan's book reported that the roster spot and a chance for an Olympic basketball-record sixth gold medal was Taurasi's 'farewell present by USA Basketball.'
3 Caitlin Clark's snubbing from the Olympics last summer remains one of the most controversial decisions in recent memory.
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'This meant 11 spots, not 12, were open and available. Taurasi was a lock unless she was totally injured and couldn't play. And, frankly, she would be going even if she was a little injured and could only play sparingly,' Brennan wrote in the book.
Taruasi, who was 42 during the Games, was moved to the bench for Jackie Young for the team's quarterfinals game. She did not play at all in Team USA's 67-66 win over France in the gold medal game.
Clark had been averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game through her first 16 games of her rookie WNBA season when she was passed over for a spot on the Olympic roster.
The decision not to include her created a stir of controversy and added to calls from fans and pundits that the old guard of women's basketball was jealous of the attention Clark had been getting.
3 Christine Brennan wrote a biography of Caitlin Clark.
AP
The book further claimed that the USA Basketball Women's National Team Committee had been concerned that Clark fans would react negatively if she received limited playing time during the Olympics.
Brennan wrote that US women's basketball was 'concerned about critical posts on X and Facebook and the like' and that 'they didn't want to deal' with people's reactions over Clark's playing time.
Selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti cited the group's 'basketball criteria for why Clark did not make the squad.
'Here's the basketball criteria that we were given as a committee and how do we evaluate our players based on that?' Rizzotti told the AP at the time. 'And when you base your decision on criteria, there were other players that were harder to cut because they checked a lot more boxes. Then sometimes it comes down to position, style of play for [coach Cheryl Reeve] and then sometimes a vote.'
Clark was offered a spot on the 3×3 national team by USA Basketball, but he turned down the spot.
3 Diana Taurasi
Getty Images
The United States did win gold in Paris behind the efforts of A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper.
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Miami Herald
7 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Heat newcomer Norman Powell getting ‘acclimated' to South Florida with Jamaican national team
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NBC Sports
8 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
WNBA Preview: Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Kayla Thornton injuries shake up playoff picture
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CNN
16 minutes ago
- CNN
Noah Lyles pushed by rival Kenny Bednarek as pair clash after 200m US championships final
People in sportsFacebookTweetLink Follow It all got a little tense after Noah Lyles got the better of rival Kenny Bednarek in the 200m final at the USA Track and Field Championships on Sunday. On this occasion, Lyles beat Bednarek after reeling in his opponent on the final stretch, finishing in 19.63 seconds. Bednarek finished 0.04 seconds behind but was clearly annoyed by Lyles' decision to look across at his lane in the final meters – something sprinters usually do to gloat. As a result, Bednarek shoved Lyles in the back after crossing the finishing line, a flashpoint which triggered some choice words between the two. 'I expect my apology,' Lyles could be heard saying, after appearing to initially refuse Bednarek's attempts at a handshake following a stare down. The pair's argument then bled into NBC's winner's interview, with both sprinters eventually agreeing to talk off track. Speaking to reporters after the race, Bednarek explained what had gone on between the two. 'Noah is going to be Noah,' Bednarek said. 'What he said didn't matter, it's just what he did. Unsportsmanlike sh*t and I don't deal with that. 'It's a respect factor. At the end of the day, he's fresh. Last time we lined it up, I beat him, that's all I can say. Next time we line up, I'm going to win.' He added: 'The grand summary is: don't do that to me. I don't do any of that stuff. I think it's not good character right there. That's pretty much it. At the end of the day, he won the race, so I've got to give him his props. He was the better man today.' Bednarek has beaten Lyles in both of the last two Olympic 200m finals, winning silver on both occasions. Lyles, though, is the fastest American to ever run the 200m and is a three-time world champion over the distance. The pair will have the opportunity to meet again at the World Championships in Tokyo next month, a potential final which will now attract far more attention. After Sunday's race, Lyles refused to speak about the feud with Bednarek, saying 'no comment' when asked about it by reporters. Meanwhile, Bednarek said the pair have some figuring out to do, pointing toward an ongoing feud between the two. It's not clear what the disagreement is about. 'It's just some personal stuff that we gotta handle. He's got my number, if he wants to call me, he has every chance to do it, but he wants to come out and do that. I think that's funny,' Bednarek told reporters. 'At the end of the day, he can call me whenever, we can discuss it and we should be good.'
