People can’t stop being weird about Caitlin Clark

The backlash to the star rookie's Olympic basketball snub, explained vox.com/culture CULTURE   There has been nothing more impactful for the visibility and popularity of women’s basketball than [Caitlin Clark](. Clark, a mega-scoring machine from the University of Iowa, broke all kinds of records in college and millions tuned in to see her do it. Now she’s in the WNBA, garnering star attention, boosting ticket sales for the league, and is currently in the running to be rookie of the year. Unfortunately for Clark, those accomplishments weren’t enough to convince Team USA officials to bring the star to Paris. [Clark did not make the cut]( for the 2024 US Women’s Olympic team. To be clear, the US team is a dynasty and is going for an unprecedented eighth gold medal in a row — its pool of players is the best in the world. While Clark has taken the rejection with tact, some of her fans haven’t. In some pockets of Clark fandom, the conversation has become toxic with some very vocal fans calling into question the integrity of the players who will be representing the US in Paris. What should be a celebration has devolved into contentious squabbling. And it all points to how Caitlin Clark — for better and worse — has become the biggest story in women’s basketball, arguably bigger than the sport itself. —[Alex Abad-Santos](,]( senior correspondent People can’t stop being weird about Caitlin Clark [Caitlin Clark looks toward her left shoulder, dressed in a basketball jersey. ]( G Fiume/Getty Images Caitlin Clark, like 99.99 percent of Americans this summer, will not be part of the 2024 US women’s Olympic basketball team. Officially, the team will be announced on Sunday, but according to reports and Clark herself, she didn’t make the 12-woman roster. Unlike the rest of us watching, however, [Clark possesses world-class shooting range, stunning passing vision, and a record-setting scoring ability](. Those attributes have made her the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA draft and the most-watched women’s basketball player on the planet. Her games have set viewership and ticket sales records. With all the talent, hype, and attention, Clark staying home this summer is a shock to many. Millions of people have been told that Clark is arguably the best women’s player in the world and inarguably its biggest star, and now she won't be a 2024 Olympian. Some critics are even saying this is the worst basketball decision the US has ever made. Clark herself congratulated the Olympic squad, [said it’s the most difficult team to make, and that she hopes to be in Los Angeles in 2028.]( "I'm excited for the girls that are on the team," Clark said this weekend after an Indiana Fever practice. “I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics. It'll be fun to watch them.” [Read the full story »]( How Inside Out 2 tackles the science of teenage emotions Talking with the psychologists who brought the real science of emotion to the Pixar film. [Read the full story »]( House of the Dragon is back. Here’s what to know before you watch. It’s okay, we don’t remember who all these characters are either. [Read the full story »](   [Become a Vox Member]( Support our journalism — become a Vox Member and you’ll get exclusive access to the newsroom with members-only perks including newsletters, bonus podcasts and videos, and more. [Join our community](   More good stuff to read today - [Going to the movies isn’t dead — yet]( - [Here are all 50+ sexual misconduct allegations against Kevin Spacey]( - [Megan Thee Stallion and the growing scourge of sexually explicit deepfakes]( - [Every pop girlie wants to be Charli XCX]( - [Common sunscreen myths, debunked]( - [I know I’m supposed to be investing. How do I start?](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=culture). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Policy]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.