Caitlin Clark speaks out on Olympics snub 'vindication' after rookie and WNBA All-Stars beat Team USA ahead of games in Paris

Caitlin Clark addressed her omission from nan US Olympic squad aft she and nan WNBA All-Stars claimed triumph complete nan Americans heading to Paris Saturday night. 

The superstar rookie, on pinch Angel Reese and Arike Ogunbowale, headlined nan WNBA All-Stars squad arsenic they hit nan Team USA 117-109 successful nan Olympics roster's tune-up earlier nan games later this month. 

Clark's snub from coach Cheryl Reeve's Olympic squad sparked outrage among WNBA fans and pundits. 

And pursuing her triumph complete nan players who were picked to make nan travel to France complete her, nan 2024 No. 1 draught prime was asked if nan consequence offered her immoderate consciousness of vindication.  

'No,' nan Indiana Fever prima bluntly responded erstwhile pressed pursuing Saturday's showdown at the Footprint Center successful Phoenix. 

'They're really good. They person plentifulness of talent connected that team. Four years anterior I'm beautiful judge Team WNBA hit Team USA, [and] they were perfectly good successful nan Olympics. 

'If anything, it shows really bully this convention is. It shows really overmuch talent is successful this convention and really you person to show up and hole each azygous night. There's a batch of players that aren't moreover present coming that could beryllium present too. It conscionable shows nan magnitude of talent we have.' 

Clark offered nary motion of bitterness towards her omission arsenic she insisted she would beryllium supporting nan Stars and Stripes passim nan games. 

'For myself, shape my standpoint, this is simply a awesome opportunity to thief hole them for Paris,' she added of nan All-Star Games. 

'I'm going to beryllium supporting them and cheering them on. I emotion nan Olympics. I've loved nan Olympics ever since I was a small kid. They're going to beryllium conscionable fine. They're going to triumph golden and dominate.' 

The USA Olympic Basketball committee favored WNBA veterans complete nan superstar rookie. 

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 were each called up. 

While Clark accepted her omission successful bully grace and understanding, societal media, peculiarly immoderate pundits, didn't return excessively kindly to nan snub.  

Barstool Sports main Dave Portnoy said successful an explosive video rant connected X: 'This is astir Caitlin Clark being near disconnected nan Olympic team... really dumb are these women?

'I don't cognize who's making nan decision, Women's Olympic Committee aliases immoderate it is. I don't attraction if you don't deliberation Caitlin Clark talent-wise belongs connected this team, moreover though she does put up 37 astatine 13 - nan astir points successful nan history of nan convention for a rookie.

'None of it matters. These women - and I emotion women, I'm a pro-women feline - they complain, they outcry astir adjacent rights, adjacent wages, blah blah blah... Hey dummies, for nan first clip successful nan history of basketball, you person arguably nan subordinate who is nan astir celebrated subordinate successful nan world.

'You tin argue that Caitlin Clark is nan astir popular, astir puts-a**es-in-the-seats, azygous hoops subordinate successful nan world. You tin reason that. And you time off her disconnected nan Olympics team?

'It's not only a showcase for her, it's for nan athletics and nan different WNBA players that are connected this team. How dumb, really braindead, really idiotic do nan group moving this point person to be? It's 1 point aft different pinch her.'

Jason Whitlock besides reacted furiously, blaming 'BLM-LGBTQIA+Silent P Alphabet Mafia bigots' successful a drawstring of angry societal media posts.

At first, Whitlock said he was pleased Clark would not compete successful nan upcoming Games, writing: 'Am I nan only 1 gladsome they left Caitlin Clark disconnected nan Olympic team? Now I don't person to watch a bunch of angry, entitled feminists who dislike America play hoops.'

But nan target of Whitlock's anger soon moved distant from patriotism erstwhile he wrote: 'They/Thems Hate Cait. End of story.'