Should Clark be on the Olympic team? | Page 8 | The Boneyard

Should Clark be on the Olympic team?

Should CC be on Olympic team?

  • Yes

    Votes: 78 41.1%

  • No

    Votes: 90 47.4%

  • I don’t know

    Votes: 22 11.6%
  • Total voters
    190
Status
Not open for further replies.
hoopsnloops32 said:
With Taurasi, Stewie, Phee and now BG battling significant injury, looks like Clark will be in Paris after all. Wonder if they’ll add Angel as well?
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Where has this been said or are you speculating? If Angel were to be added, then the process USA Basketball claims was used to select players would definitely be a sham.
 
hoopsnloops32 said:
With Taurasi, Stewie, Phee and now BG battling significant injury, looks like Clark will be in Paris after all. Wonder if they’ll add Angel as well?
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Boston was a part of the practice teams, so I think she would get a nod over Angel. Also, if they want instant chemistry, bringing both Boston and Clark would provide that.
 
hoopsnloops32 said:
With Taurasi, Stewie, Phee and now BG battling significant injury, looks like Clark will be in Paris after all. Wonder if they’ll add Angel as well?
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Are they all "significant" injuries?
 
GamecockFam said:
Boston was a part of the practice teams, so I think she would get a nod over Angel. Also, if they want instant chemistry, bringing both Boston and Clark would provide that.
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I also would think Boston would get the nod over Angel. Yes, Boston and Clark's chemistry has continued to improve over the course of the season so they now have decent chemistry with each other, but Clark wouldn't have chemistry with the rest of the team who have all played with each other.
 
DRR25 said:
I also would think Boston would get the nod over Angel. Yes, Boston and Clark's chemistry has continued to improve over the course of the season so they now have decent chemistry with each other, but Clark wouldn't have chemistry with the rest of the team who have all played with each other.
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You feel the rest of the team wouldn't want to be getting great passes from Clark for easy baskets?

Yup, that makes sense...
 
The deacon said:
You feel the rest of the team wouldn't want to be getting great passes from Clark for easy baskets?

Yup, that makes sense...
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I think there will be no shortage of great passes without Caitlin on the roster, and probably a bit fewer turnovers. This isn't the case to make for her. Better to argue that she's a great talent of the future and a huge celebrity today.
 
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Bone Dog said:
I think there will be no shortage of great passes without Caitlin on the roster, and probably a bit fewer turnovers. This isn't the case to make for her. Better to argue that she's a great talent of the future and a huge celebrity today.
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The way I took their point was that while chemistry with Boston would be beneficial, the rest of the team would take advantage of her ability to make passes others can't. Celebrity or not she knows how to find people when they're open.
 
I guess to elaborate on my point, the committee stated that they valued chemistry and prioritized it when selecting the team. So, even though CC and AB may not have the chemistry with the rest of the team, they have chemistry with each other. If Taurasi and a big cannot play due to injury, I could see the committee making that decision as an "in game plan B". Basically, Boston and Clark would be subbing in if they needed a mixup because the starters were struggling, or to hold serve while the starters take a breather.
 
Since both BG and DT appeared in today's Mercury/Sun game, I would assume they're good to go. Phee's condition seems more like day-to-day management than anything else.

At this point, I hope we don't see any replacements.
 
JellyBean said:
I hope we don't see any replacements either.
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During the Minnesota game, the commentators said Collier would compete in Paris.

Rhyne Howard was honoured during a recent home game by the Dream for her selection. That gives me the impression they expect her to compete.

Not sure about Stewart's situation. Haven't gotten the impression the injury is causing concerns for the Liberty or USA Basketball.
 
cancontent said:
The way I took their point was that while chemistry with Boston would be beneficial, the rest of the team would take advantage of her ability to make passes others can't. Celebrity or not she knows how to find people when they're open.
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Thanks for translating. But their keen insight presupposes that others can't also make great passes. That's not my experience watching actual games.
 
.-.
Bone Dog said:
Thanks for translating. But their keen insight presupposes that others can't also make great passes. That's not my experience watching actual games.
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And that's totally fair. You both have valid points.
 
hoopsnloops32 said:
With Taurasi, Stewie, Phee and now BG battling significant injury, looks like Clark will be in Paris after all. Wonder if they’ll add Angel as well?
Expand ...
DRR25 said:
Are they all "significant" injuries?
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The suggestion that these injuries were significant was a tad exaggerated. Taurasi and Griner are back.

Nothing has been said either way as to whether Stewart's injury is significant. Just that it's a strained muscle. Until they say more, I'm leaning towards it's a day-to-day thing. And considering this compressed schedule, these types of injuries aren't surprising.

During today's Minnesota-Indianapolis game, the announcers said Collier would be ready to play at the Olympics. Considering the injury, it would still be up in the air in my opinion. I see friends struggle with plantar fasciitis and they aren't as active as Collier. That's a tricky one.
 
The deacon said:
You feel the rest of the team wouldn't want to be getting great passes from Clark for easy baskets?

Yup, that makes sense...
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Clark makes great passes but she has zero chemistry with the other players. Look how long it took Clark and her teammates to develop chemistry (which is still a work in progress but a thousand times better than the beginning of the season). There's no time for that. No doubt Clark is elite when it comes to court vision and passing but there are other players on Team USA who can make great passes.
 
The deacon said:
You feel the rest of the team wouldn't want to be getting great passes from Clark for easy baskets?

Yup, that makes sense...
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And not only can other teammates make great passes but they know where their teammates like the ball and have already developed a chemistry which means fewer turnovers, more baskets.
 
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Yes absolutely. Based on the all star game, Clark, Reese, and Ogunbowale should be on the team, while Thomas, Loyd, and Young should be off the team. :p

And throw in Alisha Clark to replace Chelsea Gray for good measure...
 
cancontent said:
Aren't there FIBA events throughout the next four years that would help to deal with that? The qualification events and World Cup could mitigate that issue.
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World Championships will be during the wnba season in 2026 and the league will not pause for that. USA has appealed to FIBA, but they haven't changed their decision, yet.
 
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Ladeeeeda said:
World Championships will be during the wnba season in 2026 and the league will not pause for that. USA has appealed to FIBA, but they haven't changed their decision, yet.
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Interesting. At the beginning of the college semester too so might be a tough time to get college AND WNBA players. I think USA basketball takes WNBA players and those teams will have to play a week or two without their top players. We will see though.
 
Ladeeeeda said:
World Championships will be during the wnba season in 2026 and the league will not pause for that. USA has appealed to FIBA, but they haven't changed their decision, yet.
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Well that sucks. That's one less tournament to help prep as a whole. This also impacts Canada too from a WNBA player perspective.
hoopsnloops32 said:
Interesting. At the beginning of the college semester too so might be a tough time to get college AND WNBA players. I think USA basketball takes WNBA players and those teams will have to play a week or two without their top players. We will see though.
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With another year and change to go, hopefully FIBA sees that it would be for the benefit of the game, but again.....it is FIBA.
 
The 72 of us that voted for Caitlin, we are on the right side of history :) We know she is going to be on the next Olympic roster.
 
JellyBean said:
The 72 of us that voted for Caitlin, we are on the right side of history :) We know she is going to be on the next Olympic roster.
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What does her being on the next Olympic roster have to do with being on the right side of history? Actually, I think she will be on the next Team USA world championship team in 2026, never mind the Olympics in 2028... I have a feeling Reese will be too... Doubtful Dee will be there in 2 years, Thomas as well, and without any other roster changes, those 2 could step right on.

Of course a lot of other things could change in the next 2-4 years. New stars rising, current stars fading, etc. But one thing to keep in mind - there is more to being on Team USA than just being one of the most productive or top players in the WNBA. They need to show up for mini camps, and be a great "teammate" for whatever USA asks of them. Players like Parker learned that the hard way.
 
EricLA said:
What does her being on the next Olympic roster have to do with being on the right side of history? Actually, I think she will be on the next Team USA world championship team in 2026, never mind the Olympics in 2028... I have a feeling Reese will be too... Doubtful Dee will be there in 2 years, Thomas as well, and without any other roster changes, those 2 could step right on.

Of course a lot of other things could change in the next 2-4 years. New stars rising, current stars fading, etc. But one thing to keep in mind - there is more to being on Team USA than just being one of the most productive or top players in the WNBA. They need to show up for mini camps, and be a great "teammate" for whatever USA asks of them. Players like Parker learned that the hard way.
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Since we are talking about the next Olympics already, there are gonna be a lot of open spots on that 2028 Olympic team. I'd say the only spots I'm confident are returning (outside of injury at the wrong time) are A'ja (young and just peaking now), Sabrina (young and just peaking now), Phee (Young and just peaking now). Gray, Taurasi, BG and AT i think will definitely be done with either basketball or USA basketball by the time 2028 rolls around.
That leaves Jewel, KP, Jackie, Stewie, and Copper competing with the new blood for an Olympic return. Of that group I only really see Stewie and MAYBE Jackie being in strong consideration for a spot, just based on age and performance trajectory. That will leave minimum 7 spots open for all the new talent but up to 9 new players could be on that 2028 team depending on how things go.

My hottake unpopular opinion is I don't think Reese will be on that 2028 team. Not because I don't think she is great right now or has the potential but because I think she showed last year she has a tough time focusing in the offseason without the structure and discipline of the season. I'm not surprised she is doing so well her first season in the league because she jumped right in after college but I have more questions around how she will return for year 2. And then year 3 etc etc. But we will see!
 
GirlBoo1020 said:
Since we are talking about the next Olympics already, there are gonna be a lot of open spots on that 2028 Olympic team. I'd say the only spots I'm confident are returning (outside of injury at the wrong time) are A'ja (young and just peaking now), Sabrina (young and just peaking now), Phee (Young and just peaking now). Gray, Taurasi, BG and AT i think will definitely be done with either basketball or USA basketball by the time 2028 rolls around.
That leaves Jewel, KP, Jackie, Stewie, and Copper competing with the new blood for an Olympic return. Of that group I only really see Stewie and MAYBE Jackie being in strong consideration for a spot, just based on age and performance trajectory. That will leave minimum 7 spots open for all the new talent but up to 9 new players could be on that 2028 team depending on how things go.

My hottake unpopular opinion is I don't think Reese will be on that 2028 team. Not because I don't think she is great right now or has the potential but because I think she showed last year she has a tough time focusing in the offseason without the structure and discipline of the season. I'm not surprised she is doing so well her first season in the league because she jumped right in after college but I have more questions around how she will return for year 2. And then year 3 etc etc. But we will see!
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Last year could also been seen as an anomaly because the demand for her was significantly different than previous seasons. She did show that she could compete internationally with her performance at FIBA Americas however. Considering 2028 is four years away, the case could be made that she'll learn to develop better habits for the off-season as she gets acclimated to playing at the pro level.
 
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