Inside The Nuggets

11-Year NBA Veteran Reveals Why Team USA Made Big Caitlin Clark Mistake

This former Denver Nuggets guard spoke on Team USA's Caitlin Clark decision
Joey Linn|
Jun 10, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) on the court in the first half against the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) on the court in the first half against the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports | David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

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Over the last several days there have been countless discussions about Team USA’s decision to leave Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark off their roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics. The decision has been very controversial, with some believing Team USA made the right call, and others believing it was a terrible choice.

In recent video uploaded to X (formerly known as Twitter), former NBA guard Austin Rivers shared a nuanced take that lands somewhere in between where most of the arguments have been on this topic.

Acknowledging that Clark being left off the roster is not as big of a deal as some have made it out to be, Rivers disagreed with Team USA’s decision, saying Clark would have made a positive impact on and off the court had she been selected. 

Rivers’ primary argument is that because Clark is already growing the game of women’s basketball at a rate never seen before, this summer would have been the perfect opportunity for Team USA to invest in that, not only for their own benefit, but for Clark's overall growth as the future face of the league.

Addressing many of the most popular talking points as it pertains to this situation, Rivers shared his in-depth thoughts on what he says is not the end of the world, but is a missed opportunity by Team USA.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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