Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is again the focal point of women’s basketball discourse. This time, ESPN’s Michael Wilbon offered his opinion on Clark not making the Paris Olympics team

INDIANA FEVER

Again, Caitlin Clark is in the middle of a fire she didn’t start. Everyone else thinks of her worth and why or why not the Indiana Fever rookie receives particular treatment while she focuses on basketball. On Monday morning, ESPN’s First Take aired Stephen A. Smith arguing why he thinks the USA Women’s Basketball team missed a golden opportunity to slot Clark on the Summer Olympics roster.

Meanwhile, Pardon the Interruption’s Michael Wilbon thinks otherwise.

fever clark

The show prompted Tony Kornheiser and Wilbon to take a rapid-fire look at whether it’s okay for Clark to be left off the Olympic team. Wilbon chose his signature style: classic pull-up by your bootstraps old-school fashion.

“Not only do I not have an issue, let’s get something straight: she doesn’t belong on the Olympic team,” Wilbon began his take.

Only five rookies in WNBA history were “good enough” to make an Olympic team: A’ja Wilson, Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, and Breanna Stewart. While it’s incredibly premature to list Clark next to the aforementioned players, she’s shown promise as a passer and can get her shot off against bigger defenders.

To Wilbon’s point that “she doesn’t belong,” perhaps Clark should get more reps in with the USA team before trying for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The last two training camps for Team USA were during the Iowa Hawkeyes Women’s Final Four, leaving Clark no choice but to skip out on both events. Still, the reality is that Clark needs more time to practice for the big moment before receiving the Olympic nod.

Wilbon also commended Clark’s attitude, as the PTI co-host said she handled the decision “beautifully” while the rest of the WNBA universe finds a new way to light a fire with Clark putting it out on the court and in press conferences.