Olympics chief hits out at Caitlin Clark’s Team USA snub after WNBA star is left off roster for Paris Games

USA Basketball’s decision to snub Caitlin Clark’s for this summer’s Olympics is a ‘missed opportunity’, according to the president of the Los Angeles 2028 organizing committee.

Clark has taken the sport to new heights in recent months but the ‘generational talent’ was left off the USA’s 12-woman roster for Paris.

The Fever superstar is reportedly atop the alternates list but her omission sparked fury among fans, including Barstool chief Dave Portnoy who accused selectors of being ‘dumb’, ‘braindead’, and ‘idiotic’.

And now Casey Wasserman has expressed his disappointment about her absence from this summer’s Games.

‘I think it’s a missed opportunity because she’s clearly a generational talent at a time when the world was ready for it,’ Wasserman told USA Today. ‘I just think it would have been an opportunity to elevate the women’s team.’

WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark was left off the USA team for this summer's Olympics in Paris

Casey Wasserman, president of the LA 2028 organizing committee, bemoaned the callCasey Wasserman, president of the LA 2028 organizing committee, bemoaned the call

Wasserman wants Clark to be included for the Games on home soil in 2028, insisting: ‘I certainly hope she’ll be at the 2028 Olympics…. she’s a great star and the future of American basketball is bright.’

He added: ‘There have been incredible talents in the world, shame on all of us, the world wasn’t in a place to embrace that.

Take Diana (Taurasi) or Breanna Stewart, or some of our (Wasserman) clients who are going to be on the team. They are dominant at a level that’s never been seen before but the world wasn’t ready to fill a building like Caitlin Clark did for whatever, the Final Four.’

The former Iowa star shot to superstardom while on the Hawkeyes. She was the No 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft and has been at the center of a storm ever since joining the WNBA.

But the 12-woman roster for the Games – selected by head coach Cheryl Reeve –  is instead made up of Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas, A’ja Wilson, and Jackie Young.

Jen Rizzotti explained that experience was a key factor in the decision not to select Clark

‘I understand both sides of the issue but purely as an opportunity to showcase a generational talent to the world…’ Wasserman continued. ‘If it were simple, we wouldn’t be debating it.’

Selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti previously revealed the reasons behind the decision, citing Clark’s last of experience.

‘Here’s the basketball criteria that we were given as a committee and how do we evaluate our players based on that?’ Rizzotti said.

‘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 (Reeve), and then sometimes a vote.’