Iowa
basketball phenom Caitlin Clark won’t be joining Team
USA just yet. The 22-year-old must politely decline her invitation to the Stars and Stripes’ April training camp following the Hawkeyes Elite Eight win over LSU in the NCAA Tournament - not that she'll complain about doing so. Last week, formally from April 3-5 as it approaches the final stages of preparation for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Clark would have only been able to join her compatriots this week if Iowa had lost to LSU. With advancing in thanks to Clark's 41 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds against , the star guard's obligations take precedence over her first-ever senior Team USA call-up. Ahead of the Hawkeyes’ 89-68 win against No. 5-seed
Colorado in the Sweet 16, she shared just how much the honor meant to her - but insisted a trip to the Final Four would be best-case scenario. "USA Basketball ... that's your dream," Clark told reporters. "You always want to grow up and be on the Olympic team. But, lucky for me, I have the opportunity of possibly not doing that because, you know, I want to be at the Final Four playing basketball with my team. But if not, that's where I'll be. "People that are on that roster are people that I idolize and have idolized growing up,” she continued. “So just to be extended a camp invite is something you have to be proud of and celebrate and enjoy.” The camp is seen as an opportunity for players to nail down their spot on the official roster that USA Basketball will send to the Olympic Games. Multiple WNBA stars will be in attendance, including , Brittney Griner, Aliyah Boston, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young. Though is all-but guaranteed to be selected by the Indiana Fever with the in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she has yet to play a single minute at the professional level. The NCAA Division I will now additionally miss valuable experience working with the prospective Team USA roster, complicating her chances of traveling with the team to
Paris, which remain up in the air. Regardless, there's momentum for Clark to make the squad no matter what. Legendary former basketball player Lisa Leslie recently argued the Stars and Stripes should absolutely bring Clark aboard for the Olympics. "One-hundred percent," Leslie told . "One-thousand percent. I can't even let you get the question out. I don't know how you leave the country without her. "Those are the parts of the politics that I hope we get past because there is no reason - when you see an
American player is the most outstanding player in our country - how is she not having the opportunity to represent our country?"