SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — Whether or not Caitlin Clark should be on the U.S. women's Olympic basketball team has been a topic of debate since the team was named earlier this year.
On Sunday, Dawn Staley told Mike Tirico that Clark "would be in really high consideration of making the team" if the choice was made now.
Staley, who coached South Carolina to an undefeated season and NCAA championship, was part of the selection committee for the team.
"As a committee member, you’re charged with putting together the best team of players, the best talent," Staley told Tirico during the broadcast of the men's basketball game on Sunday.
Staley said that Clark, currently in her rookie season in the WNBA, is a little more seasoned two months into her pro career than she was when the committee was making its selections. Clark was also unable to attend the national training camp for USA Basketball this spring because she was in the midst of leading Iowa to the college national championship.
"If we had to do it all over again, the way that she’s playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people," said Staley.
She credited Clark's passing and basketball IQ, in addition to her shooting. Prior to the Olympic break, Clark was arguably playing her best basketball of the season.
Clark leads the league in assists (8.2) and broke the league’s single-game assist mark with 19 against Dallas in Indiana’s last game before the Olympic break. Clark had a season-high 29 points against Washington on July 10, and recorded a triple double in an upset win against the New York Liberty on July 6.
And while Indiana lost eight of its first nine regular season games, it won eight of 13 headed into the break.
Clark teamed up with fellow rookie Angel Reese, Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale, and the rest of the WNBA All-Stars to beat the Olympic team before they departed for the Games.
It was the second consecutive win for the WNBA All-Star team over the Olympians. The All-Stars also won in 2021 led by Ogunbowale, who was MVP of both games.
RELATED: Arike Ogunbowale and Caitlin Clark lead WNBA All-Stars to 117-109 win over U.S. Olympic team
The American Olympians are still favored to win gold in Paris, just as they did in 2021.
They started that journey on Monday with a 26-point win over Japan, led by a double-double from Aja Wilson as well as strong inside play from Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner.
The U.S. women's team has a 56-game Olympic winning streak that dates back to the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
While Clark isn't on this team, she and Reese could be the future of USA Basketball. For now, the pair will cheer on Team USA and enjoy their first real break from competition, after NCAA tournament runs followed closely by the WNBA draft, training camp and season.
