This girl is at the box office!

Caitlin Clark has been under the watchful eye of WNBA fans since her rise to professional women’s basketball.

So when his omission of Team USA list for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was made official, fans were stunned into silence – including the popular TV personality Stephen A. Smith.

The 22-year-old was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and, as expected, he signed with the Indiana fever as she brought her new fan base to the league.

Even after a difficult start, Clark She was always expected to be part of the final team that would fly to Paris – given her global appeal and undeniable talent. This was seen as an ideal opportunity to help grow the WNBA after a big increase in its national viewing figures.

However, Clark was excluded from the list of players to be coached by the head coach Cheryl Reeve, who did not participate in the selection process. It is believed that there was a preference for more established players, such as A’ja Wilson And Breanna Stewart, which were included.

But Black-smithwho regularly appears as an analyst on ESPN, made a broader point about the WNBA’s global appeal and said Clark was their biggest attraction.

“This girl is at the box office! I said a rising tide lifts all boats. What you do (is include Caitlin Clark), especially if you’re the American team and you’re trying to go global and there’s an opportunity to globalize the WNBA brand, then people like Brittney Griner and others don’t need to go to Russia in the offseason to play more basketball and get extra income,” he said.

“They might stay here if the sport increases in popularity and you ladies start getting what you richly deserve!

Caitlin Clark reacts with class to the shock of the snub

Those who know Clark expected nothing less after her expert-level media training, and she gave her support to the players heading to Paris, saying she hoped to be part of the team in 2028.

“I’m excited for them, I’m going to cheer them on to win gold. I was a kid who grew up watching the Olympics, it’s going to be fun to watch them.

“Honestly, no disappointment. I think it just gives you something to work towards. It’s a dream, I hope one day I can be there.

“I think it’s just a little bit more motivation. You remember that and hopefully when four years roll around again I can be there.”