Caitlin Clark is not among the 12 players selected for Team USA for the Paris Olympics, and controversy has followed ever since.
After guiding the Iowa Hawkeyes to two consecutive national championship games and setting the record for the most points scored in college basketball, as well as numerous attendance and ratings records, Clark was rewarded by being selected as the first overall choice in the WNBA Draft in April. Because Iowa was in the Final Four, making a deep run in the tournament, she couldn’t go to the national training camp in Cleveland, even though she had previously been invited.
That hurt her chances immensely during the selection process.
Clark’s reported snub from the Olympic roster sparked a firestorm that continued this week.
Former college basketball coach and ESPN announcer Dan Dakich believes he knows why Caitlin Clark was snubbed from the team.
Dakich thinks it boils down to racism and sexism.
“Of course, she’s being targeted,” Dakich told TMZ Sports.
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“There’s a little bit of racism or sexism in there, you know, straight white girl, okay, but that ain’t it to me.”
Dakich, who previously coached and played at Indiana, further added that WNBA veterans are likely to blame for all of the jealousy that has been thrown towards Clark due to the amount of attention she gets without her accomplishing anything in the pros yet.
“(My wife) said you will see incredible pettiness and jealousy,” Dakich said. “We’re seeing a lot of that.”
Caitlin Clark Told Her Coach Team USA ‘Woke a Monster’ by Snubbing Her
Over the last few years, Caitlin Clark has drawn millions of new fans to the game.
Her ability to grow the game wasn’t enough to put her on Team USA as they prepare to head to Paris for the Olympics next month.
Clark took the high road when asked about being left off of the roster. But she had a lot more to say in a private message to her coach.
Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides revealed what Clark said in a message.
“She got the call on the bus, and she texted me to let me know. And I just tried to keep her spirits up,” Sides said. “The thing she said was, ‘Hey coach, they woke a monster,’ which I thought was awesome.”
