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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has received endless buzz amid her WNBA debut. Clark is coming off a historical tenure with the Iowa women's basketball team. However, the 2024 Team USA Olympics committee chose to leave her off the Paris team. Sports analyst Colin Cowherd blasted Clark's snub with an intriguing Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Brown comparison.
Why Cowherd believes Caitlin Clark's Olympic snub is a ‘wasted opportunity'
Cowherd started by noting the impact Caitlin Clark has on the WNBA before discussing why it was a mistake to leave her out of the Summer Olympics.
“WNBA now is flying chartered flights. She would triple the TV ratings. Again, life doesn't give you, sports doesn't give you, business doesn't give you a lot of these kind of waves, grab the surfboard. She's here for you. By the way, the NBA would die to have a domestic star nearly as popular as Caitlin Clark. Oh wait, they do. Anthony Edwards. They put him on the team,” Cowherd said via The Herd.
“Anthony Edwards today is not as good as Jaylen Brown. I think he could be by the end of next year, and I think after the trade deadline, I've said this, he and Wemby could be surging as faces of the league, but Edwards isn't as good as Jaylen Brown now. Ant is unrefined. He's up and down. He's hot and cold. Jaylen Brown's great every night. They found a spot for [Edwards] on the team,” Cowherd continued.
Then, Cowherd explained that the WNBA misjudged their decision on Clark.
“Women's basketball feels like it's suffering from spite or historically low self-esteem where they want to prove that they know more than you do. Here’s what I know. Caitlin Clark would make all the other women on the Olympic team money. She’d make them more famous. She’d give them opportunities. They’d become potentially household names. It’s not just about Caitlin Clark. In fact, I’d argue it’s very little about Caitlin Clark. It’s an opportunity wasted,” Cowherd claimed.
Cowherd presents some interesting points. But make no mistake, the 2024 Team USA women's team can still achieve the things Cowherd outlined without Clark.
The 2024 Team USA women's roster will get the job done
The 2024 Olympic roster includes some of the best basketball players in the world. Seasoned players such as 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 headline the squad. These players have extensive international experience and have consistently proven their prowess on the global stage.
Caitlin Clark is a phenom, and she is just getting started with the Fever. Yet, her fellow U.S. counterparts have it what takes to win without her. The 2024 Olympic squad can still gain more of the publicity and opportunities Colin Cowherd noted by winning. Furthermore, Clark's absence from the team is what ClutchPoints' Lead Women's Sports Editor Erin Achenbach described as a “blessing in disguise.” Clark can take time to rest from a loaded schedule and continue to focus on getting acclimated to the Fever.
As the Summer Olympics approach, there is no doubt that the women's squad will make Clark and the U.S. proud.
