The US women’s national basketball team is set to compete in the upcoming Olympics in Paris, but one highly anticipated player will not be on the roster. According to CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan, WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark will not be included due to concerns about how her large fanbase would react to her potentially limited playing time on a talented roster.
Despite this setback, the expected roster for the Olympic team is said to include some of the best talent in the game, including WNBA stars and previous Olympic champions such as Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Breanna Stewart. Griner, who has won two Olympic gold medals, had previously stated that she would only play basketball overseas for Olympic events after a troubling experience in Russia where she was detained and ultimately released in a prisoner exchange.
The US women’s team will face Japan, Belgium and Germany during the group stage of the tournament. In addition to these teams, there will also be a 3×3 basketball team representing the United States. This young team includes promising young talent like WNBA rookie Cameron Brink and college player Hailey Van Lith, as well as veterans like Rhyne Howard and Cierra Burdick.
The 3×3 basketball event is being contested for only its second Olympic appearance and comes off a gold medal win by the US women’s national team at Tokyo in 2021. The USA women’s national team has had an impressive history of success on the international stage, winning gold at seven consecutive Olympic Games starting from 1996. To stay updated with all of their latest news and updates from CNN you can create an account on CNN.com
