Caitlin Clark Sign Goes Viral Before USA and Japan Women's Basketball Game

Robin Lundberg | Jul 29, 2024

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

A fan of the Japanese women's basketball team brought an incorrect sign to their game against Team USA in Olympic competition. The sign read "You need Caitlin Clark to beat us", an obvious play on Clark's highly publicized omission from the roster for the U.S. However, while it may have been effective in garnering attention, the statement was wrong. Team USA defeated Japan by 26 points.

A Japanese fan brought a “You need Caitlin Clark to beat us” sign to the USA-Japan game. 👀

(H/T @KerithBurke) pic.twitter.com/kTtAIGP3gE

— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) July 29, 2024

Some of the players on the American squad apparently noticed the sign before the contest tipped off, with a video circulating of A'ja Wilson, Brittney Griner and others seeming to see it and take note. They then proceeded to prove themselves on the court once again. Every player on the USA roster scored and they wound up putting Japan away, going away, in what was a rematch of the gold medal game from the last Olympics in Tokyo.

Team USA 👀 a sign that reads, “You need Caitlin Clark to beat us.” USA-Japan tipping off shortly. pic.twitter.com/ymyJ6mSuXQ

— Kerith Burke (@KerithBurke) July 29, 2024

Wilson and Breanna Stewart led the U.S. women in scoring, facing what was an overmatched front court on the other side. A'ja and Stewie are several inches taller than any player on Japan, giving the former WNBA MVPs a distinct size advantage that they don't even typically need to excel. They combined for 46 points on 21-31 shooting from the floor.

Team USA is going for an 8th consecutive gold medal in Paris. The women have not lost a game in Olympic competition since 1992 and have dominated every opponent since, excluding a couple exhibition losses to the WNBA All-Star team. If the contest against Japan is any indication, that streak will continue, Clark or not.