NBA Commissioner Adam Silver understands why Caitlin Clark did not make Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics — even if he would have liked to see her perform on the world stage.
Silver spoke to reporters at an NBA Cares event at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas on Thursday, June 13, where he weighed in on Clark’s controversial omission from the olympic team.
“From my standpoint — and I’m independent from USA Basketball, somebody whose job is to oversee the NBA and ultimately the WNBA — I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, but it would have been nice to see her on the floor,” Silver said.
As Silver noted, it is not his job to assemble the best women’s basketball team to represent the United States. That’s in the hands of the women’s national team committee, chaired by Jen Rizzotti.
Rizzotti reminded fans on Tuesday that it was not the committee’s job to boost ratings at the Olympics, rather “it was our purview to create the best team we could for [head coach] Cheryl [Reeve].”
Adam Silver Has A Different Role
Removed from that process, Silver can speak both as a fan and someone with an actual interest in driving attention to the WNBA.
“There’s no question that [Clark is] one of the most popular players at this point in the world. The ratings demonstrate that,” he added.
The committee, which also includes South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and former Minnesota Lynx star Seimone Augustus, needs to account for team chemistry, positional balance, and experience when assembling the team.
Meanwhile the NBA half-owns the WNBA, so it is in Silver’s best interest for the most popular players to be the most visible.
“My mandate is a bit different than USA Basketball’s,” Silver explained. “My job is to get more people to watch and love basketball. USA Basketball has a very specific mandate about fielding the best possible team from a competitive standpoint, and I accept that they all did their jobs the way they were instructed to.”
Caitlin Clark’s Olympic Future
At 22 years old, Clark can now turn her attention to 2026 when Los Angeles will serve as the Summer Olympics host city.
Clark was both humble and motivated in the aftermath of her perceived snub. She told reporters, “I’m excited for the girls that are on the team. I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could’ve gone either way of me being on the team, me not being on the team.”
#IndianaFever No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark on not being picked for Team USA:
“No disappointment. I think it just gives you something to work for. That’s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little more motivation. You remember that.” | @TheAthleticWBB
She also texted Christie Sides, her head coach with the Indiana Fever, to tell her “hey coach, they woke a monster.”
Perhaps most importantly for Clark, her omission from the team means she will have time to rest. Not only is she coming off a college season that went the distance — her Iowa Hawkeyes lost to South Carolina in the national title game — but the Fever have had a grueling start to the WNBA season. They’ve played 14 games as of June 13, more than any other team in the league.
“I’m sure there’ll be lots of opportunities for her to represent our country,” Silver said.
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Adam Silver Has Own Perspective on Caitlin Clark Not Making Olympic Team