Former NBA players Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were on their show “All The Smoke” where the topic of conversation was on the Olympics women's basketball team this summer. Both were arguing, especially Pierce, that WNBA stars Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky's Angel Reese should be on the team.
“Angel Reese and Caitlin, I would've put both of them on the Olympic team for the simple fact that I really didn’t watch the Olympic girls just to be 100 with you, but if that had happened I probably would’ve watched,” Pierce said. “I catch the highlights here and see they’re blowing everybody out by 50. They won their last 8 Olympics and we always catch the Gold, but like s—t I would’ve watched the preliminaries, and the pool play and all that if they threw these two on there.”
Pierce strongly believes Clark and Reese would boost Olympics
This has been a popular conversation among the sports world saying that for marketing reasons to build up women's basketball, both rookies, more so Clark, should be on the Olympics this summer in Paris, France. Pierce would double down and say that depending on what other sports are played that day, the media coverage would be on women's basketball if Clark and Reese are on the team.
“Say you got the 100 Meters, the swimming, and the basketball all on the same time, if she’s on that team, they’re going to give that the coverage that day,” Pierce said. “Ain’t no more Michael Phelps, I mean it’s 50/50 if you’re going to throw Simone Biles, if she’s performing and the basketball, it’s 50/50 who they’re going to throw on. I just think, just for that aspect, and I don’t even care what nobody else thinks, you should've did it.”
Kevin Garnett says “the idea here is to grow the pie”
The valid argument has been made on the other side as while there is no doubt Clark and Reese would boost the viewership, it doesn't impact or maybe it could hinder the team in winning another gold medal since they lack experience. However, Pierce's show co-host in Garnett would agree with his former teammate and say that “the idea here is to grow the pie.”
“It’s a new wave that’s here and it’s got a major blockage on it man, to everybody out here, listen, we’re not fighting over the pie that’s been established,” Garnett said. “The idea here is to grow the pie, that’s what we’re trying to do here and now we’re 4 years behind for not putting these girls on the team. Now I agree with you, both of them should’ve been on there because what you’re saying now is that I’m gearing up for the next 4 years.”
While Pierce and Garnett believe Clark and Reese should be on the Olympics team, the 12 women have already been set for Team USA. The team will first play Japan on July 29 in France.
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