US Team

[bballnut90]

No surprise that Clark is all class while answering questions about being left off the team. I'm sure she wishes she made the team, but getting a month break will probably do wonders for her after the workload she's managed the last 7-8 months.

Link

 

[azfan]

How has DT earned her spot, temery, other than having been named to five previous Olympic teams, the first being when she was the same age that Clark is now? Check out Taurasi's rookie season... she scored about what Caitlin is scoring and had far fewer rebounds or assists, probably playing with much less scrutiny and under less defensive pressure... and even then, DT wasn't an especially effective defender.

I'm not arguing Caitlin should be on the team, just that Diana should not be... even Huskies fan should be able to acknowledge the reality that DT is nowhere near one of America's best 12 players. To give her a sixth Olympics spot is not how the U.S. should be building its team.



I'm with you about your post, azfan, and your list of those all-timers (except, sorta Bradshaw).

However, I could draw up names of other all-time greats who have been classy and graceful throughout their careers, including Nicklaus, Aaron, Abdul-Jabbar, Gretzky, Federer... an athlete can have fire in her or his belly and still carry oneself with grace. How about our own Sue Bird and Maya Moore?

She hasn't.

Given the style of play and necessary experience at the Olympic level I'm not sure Clark would be a guard I put on the team. With that said the powers that be want DT to have the Olympic record. Another gold for the US will be in spite of not because of the GOAT. In order to win the gold DT will need to be on the court less thing 10 minutes per game.

That said, DT looking ok against the Wings.

 

[psconn]

Not bitter at all, EricLA, and among the many things one could say about what DT brings to the game these days, 'grace and class' aren't among them.

I agreed with most of what EricLA said but I did wince at "grace and class".

 

[Blueballer]

DT is hurting her own legacy by being on the team. She hasn't been good for a number of years.
I respect someone like Sue who knew it was time to go and left.
I have lost a lot of respect for DT, for hanging on just for a payday.
The truly great ones know when it's time to leave.

Yeah, she's really hurting her lagacy. LOL

Diana Taurasi recorded her 20th career game scoring 20+ PTS at the age of 40 or older, she ties Michael Jordan for the most 20+ PT games at the age of 40 or older across both the NBA and WNBA
Michael Jordan: 20 games
Diana Taurasi: 20 games
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 16 games

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Good luck with that.

Haha.

 

[hoophuskee]

How has DT earned her spot, temery, other than having been named to five previous Olympic teams, the first being when she was the same age that Clark is now? Check out Taurasi's rookie season... she scored about what Caitlin is scoring and had far fewer rebounds or assists, probably playing with much less scrutiny and under less defensive pressure... and even then, DT wasn't an especially effective defender.

I'm not arguing whether DT should be on the team or not. I don't follow the WNBA as much as i used to. I can only watch so much sports. But didn't the poster, NycUcWbbFan, offer an explanation as to why she was selected per below?





All this unfair DT bashing and CC bickering would tone down if members really listen to the selection committee’s reasoning:

The Athletic Article: “That the committee decided to go this route isn’t a total surprise. It is a reflection of some past precedent. “That chemistry really speeds up the learning curve and the process,” committee member Seimone Augustus recently told The Athletic.”

It has been fairly obvious that due to the limited preparation time, historically the selection committees have valued existing instinctive chemistry among those who are currently performing well and satisfy a positional need.

The 2024, 2020, 2016 women’s Olympic basketball team selections have fit this pattern.

 

[DRR25]

Not a popular opinion, but I don't believe Griner should be representing the US. She's a convicted felon. Doesn't matter to me one bit that it was Russia.

Clark will have her day, but she hasn't earned a spot on the team, yet.

I could see if it was a conviction on something serious like illegal possession or use of a firearm or something like that but not for vape cartridges/CBD oil. A legal technicality but Griner is not a "convicted felon" according to Russian criminal code, she's a "criminal." "Felony" would be a U.S. charge but possession of vape catridges and CBD oil wouldn't be a felony here. Do you think Taurasi's DUI (years ago) should have kept her off the team?

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

How has DT earned her spot, temery, other than having been named to five previous Olympic teams, the first being when she was the same age that Clark is now? Check out Taurasi's rookie season... she scored about what Caitlin is scoring and had far fewer rebounds or assists, probably playing with much less scrutiny and under less defensive pressure... and even then, DT wasn't an especially effective defender.

I'm not arguing Caitlin should be on the team, just that Diana should not be... even Huskies fan should be able to acknowledge the reality that DT is nowhere near one of America's best 12 players. To give her a sixth Olympics spot is not how the U.S. should be building its team.



I'm with you about your post, azfan, and your list of those all-timers (except, sorta Bradshaw).

However, I could draw up names of other all-time greats who have been classy and graceful throughout their careers, including Nicklaus, Aaron, Abdul-Jabbar, Gretzky, Federer... an athlete can have fire in her or his belly and still carry oneself with grace. How about our own Sue Bird and Maya Moore?

I'm not arguing whether DT should be on the team or not. I don't follow the WNBA as much as i used to. I can only watch so much sports.

But didn't the poster, NycUcWbbFan, offer an explanation as to why she was selected per below?





All this unfair DT bashing and CC bickering would tone down if members really listen to the selection committee’s reasoning:

The Athletic Article: “That the committee decided to go this route isn’t a total surprise. It is a reflection of some past precedent. “That chemistry really speeds up the learning curve and the process,” committee member Seimone Augustus recently told The Athletic.”

It has been fairly obvious that due to the limited preparation time, historically the selection committees have valued existing instinctive chemistry among those who are currently performing well and satisfy a positional need.

The 2024, 2020, 2016 women’s Olympic basketball team selections have fit this pattern.

Diana (2004):

• Won 3 consecutive NCAA titles;
• Along with Sue Bird, were the 4th and 5th guards, and were the 2nd and 3rd new guards;
• Dawn was on record for sticking around for that Olympics — handing the reins to Sue and Diana, the starting backcourt on arguably the greatest NCAA undefeated women’s basketball championship team.
• It seems the 2004 Olympic team had more extensive preparation compared to the 2024 team.

Diana (2024):

• Playing the veteran role of Dawn on a team with four new guards (Kelsey, Jackie, Sabrina, Kahleah);
• Has chemistry with Britney and Kahleah and the other veterans (Chelsea, A’ja, Breanna, Jewel, Napheesa) and apparently also with Kelsey;
• Is the 7th-ranked scorer on Team USA based on the latest WNBA stats;
• The WNBA Scoring Leader by far, showing remarkable scoring consistency, owns 3 rings (10% of the total) — most on the team, a member (along with Britney and Breanna) in The W25.

Diana Taurasi: Olympics | uconnhuskies.com: Bio | ESPN: Profile | WNBA: Stats | The W25 |

 

[GamecockFam]

With 12 possible USA players, the team could theoretically have up to 3 players identified for a single position. Obviously there are lot of players who can play multiple positions, but for the sake of this exercise, I am going to focus on those who are primarily known as PGs. They are already taking a gamble with a recovering Chelsea Gray and Rhyne Howard is with the 3x3 team, so of the 10 remaining starting PGs for a WNBA team, which two off this list would you put on team USA?

Candidates:
DT
Caitlin Clark
Dana Evans
Vandersloot
Clarendon
Brittney Sykes
Arike Ogunbowale
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Ty Harris
Courtney Williams

 

[GoUconn7961]

This thread is exactly how I thought it would be unfortunately.

Look, if you're going to b-h about DT being on the team keep it civil.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

With 12 possible USA players, the team could theoretically have up to 3 players identified for a single position. Obviously there are lot of players who can play multiple positions, but for the sake of this exercise, I am going to focus on those who are primarily known as PGs. They are already taking a gamble with a recovering Chelsea Gray and Rhyne Howard is with the 3x3 team, so of the 10 remaining starting PGs for a WNBA team, which two off this list would you put on team USA?

Candidates:
DT
Caitlin Clark
Dana Evans
Vandersloot
Clarendon
Brittney Sykes
Arike Ogunbowale
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Ty Harris
Courtney Williams

Sabrina Ionescu is a Nancy Lieberman award winner (a 2,000 point, 1,000 assist player along with Courtney Vandersloot).

Courtney Vandersloot is not eligible for Team USA.

SDS would be problematic, due to chemistry issues with Diana.

Based on scoring ranks, the following would-be newcomers are not ideal:

• Courtney Williams (39)
• Tyasha Harris (41)
• Dana Evans (44)
• Layshia Clarendon (79) — Not a newcomer

Brittney Sykes is injured.

Arike Ogunbowale has not played with anyone on Team USA and some would say that despite her numbers, her team’s lack of success is because of her.

Had Aliyah Boston been gangbusters, Caitlyn would have a better chance of making the team and not playing mop-up minutes. But Aliyah’s play has regressed with Caitlyn at point — so much so that arguably her slot went to Alyssa Thomas.

For reasons I detailed here and here, Diana’s inclusion in Team USA is not only very defensible but also the best option among your listed alternatives.

 

[bbsamjj]

Sabrina Ionescu is a Nancy Lieberman award winner (a 2,000 point, 1,000 assist player along with Courtney Vandersloot).

Courtney Vandersloot is not eligible for Team USA.

SDS would be problematic, due to chemistry issues with Diana.

Based on scoring ranks, the following would-be newcomers are not ideal:

• Courtney Williams (39)
• Tyasha Harris (41)
• Dana Evans (44)
• Layshia Clarendon (79) — Not a newcomer

Brittney Sykes is injured.

Arike Ogunbowale has not played with anyone on Team USA and some would say that despite her numbers, her team’s lack of success is because of her.

Had Aliyah Boston been gangbusters, Caitlyn would have a better chance of making the team and not playing mop-up minutes. But Aliyah’s play has regressed with Caitlyn at point — so much so that arguably her slot went to Alyssa Thomas.

For reasons I detailed here and here, Diana’s inclusion in Team USA is not only very defensible but also the best option among your listed alternatives.

Alyssa Thomas was making this team no matter what, imo. If Griner hadn't been ready to go, A. Boston may have gotten that spot if the team wanted a bruiser in the middle. But Thomas does plenty of bruising on her own.

 

[meyers7]

They gave Catchings one last run, for her service. Same thing for DT. USA Basketball takes service/commitment very seriously. Being there for the camps, willing to play in the Non-Olympic tournaments (when they could be on a break/vacation), etc.

Right or wrong, that's what they do.

 

[nwhoopfan]

USA Basketball takes service/commitment very seriously.

Except when they don't, like they did to Nneka Ogwumike. Years of service, always answered the call, never once selected for the Olympics.

 

[Dillon77]

"I would totally understand if people were to say "there are players who are currently performing better in the W, and I wish Dee had stepped aside for them", but the vitriol with which many are going bonkers with (not you) over her inclusion is comical....Where is the hysteria over Griner being named to the team?" -- @EricLA

"It has been fairly obvious that due to the limited preparation time, historically the selection committees have valued existing instinctive chemistry among those who are currently performing well and satisfy a positional need." -- @NycUcWbbFan (paraphrasing the U.S.A. Selection Committee)

Excuse the length, but this subject is hard to pare down.

I've been pondering the selections for the better part of the weekend. While I'll stick with an earlier post in which I said none of it came as a surprise, that still doesn't mean there were some elements that just didn't feel right. I've pulled these two quotes from other posters because they helped develop my thinking.

- First, not a lot of time between major tournaments. The U.S.A. (and other top b-ball playing nations) are playing their third major tournament in a three-year period. This includes a change at the head-coach level. Whereas many (most?) other countries rely on a relatively set number of players, the U.S.A. is blessed with a wealth of players, which can lead to some tough decisions and certainly a lot of interplay among fans (as we're witnessing).

Also, it seemed like there just weren't many opportunities for new(er) faces to get face time in camps, friendlies balanced against the demands of having to play internationally (and what their overseas clubs may/may not allow them to do).

- Injuries at critical -- and perhaps not so deep -- positions; namely, center and point guard. Brittany Griner has always been a not-so-secret weapon of the U.S. in international team: there just aren't that many 6'8" players that have the effect she has, both for and against. There might be a few other U.S. players her height (Big T from Dallas), but none that can bring the range of skills and experience that she does. Her being on the team -- besides her experience -- is a need pick (at least to me).

As for point guard, @GamecockFam just posted a list of other point guards asking who we would pick, rather than going with a soon-to-be ready Chelsea Gray, supported by a number of other guards who can spell her. That, of course is compounded by that shortened time frame and other players coming back from injuries or other issues, such as Skylar Diggins-Smith's maternity leave.

- As such, the Selection Committee largely went with known entities and, at the guard position; players who can theoretically spell Chelsea Gray for a bit, including Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsea Plum and Jackie Young (although Diana Taurasi and Jewell Loyd can probably handle half-court sets as well.)

- There's a little bit of sameness with several players, which is both good and ehh. Plum, Ionescu and Taurasi are all heady players who can get crazy hot and stroke it from deep and also drive/get fouled. On the other hand, the defense is lacking (which is why Loyd, Young and Copper are also there, to a degree.)

FWIW, my main concern with Taurasi is the fact that she's 42. She can have some breakout games and then some highly ineffective ones, which I attribute to the body not recuperating. Given the other needs of this guard squad, I'm inclined to have the U.S.A. have every player firing away on all cylinders every game. My two thoughts were, interestingly, not named Clark: Rhyne Howard (who ended up on the 3x3 team) and, in particular, Kayla McBride. K-Mac, as noted elsewhere, might be the hottest shooting guard over the course of the Euro's and WNBA this year (she's hitting 50% of her threes this season). She's an accomplished international player, has U.S.A. duty, is coached in the WNBA by the U.S. Coach and knows her role.

- That said, I'm not to bang a drum crying foul. Taurasi, Griner and everyone will represent the U.S.A. well and in varying capacities. Hopefully, Chelsea Gray will, too, once she returns. And maybe K-Mac Caitlin Clark and others will get a chance at the next World Cup.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

The WNBA is concerned with putting eyes on the league and fans in the seats. USA Basketball is concerned with winning gold. CC will get her shot in 4 yrs.

That's a very easy statement to make, but you don't know what the next 4-years holds for Caitlin Clark, yourself or for anyone. Although I certainly understand all the presented reasons why CC was not selected. No one on the present team has done more for Women's Basketball as a hole than Caitlin Clark! A chance to represent your Country playing the game you love and have given pretty much your life to is a reward few receive and will cherish the rest of lives. I still believe CC will be put on this team because there are a couple of players with significant injuries and probably won't be able to participate. The fan uproar at leaving Clark off this team will hopefully turn that tide.

UPDATE: Hmm, what could I have possibly said above to earn an angry icon???

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Alyssa Thomas was making this team no matter what, imo. If Griner hadn't been ready to go, A. Boston may have gotten that spot if the team wanted a bruiser in the middle. But Thomas does plenty of bruising on her own.

Aliyah Boston is 6’5, a Griner heir apparent and would have been a Fowles replacement. But obviously, you and I are just making educated guesses on the selection committee’s thinking.

But even if your guess is correct on Thomas, and since Griner is a go, that would make Caitlyn’s inclusion in Team USA even less likely on a guard-heavy Team USA with 4 new guards and a team she has no rapport with yet.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

To be fair, Brink and Van Lith have been doing 3 x 3 for a couple years now. It shouldn't be a surprise they were chosen considering how they've performed. Not to mention Plum was 3 x 3 for Tokyo before being considered for the 5x5.

The comment about the concern about backlash is interesting. It's also unfortunate as fans because the Olympics and FIBA rules are different for NCAAW or WNBA. I also wonder how fans would react when exposed to FIBA rules as they allow more contact.

Could you please tell me just where Brink and Van Lith have been playing organized 3x3 for the last couple of years? Most any woman starting for a D1 college team and certainly any playing in the WNBA have played 3x3 basketball. I don't know how this selection was made, what the rules were, etc., but I have to think that if Brink was chosen why wouldn't Caitlin Clark have been a much better (by heaps and miles better) choice than Van Lith? Why wouldn't most likely 50 other players have been better? Hailey couldn't hit the broadside of a barn for LSU during the playoffs and for much of the season. This one puzzles me greatly, but as I said there could be factors involved that I am unaware of.

 

[hoophuskee]

"

"It has been fairly obvious that due to the limited preparation time, historically the selection committees have valued existing instinctive chemistry among those who are currently performing well and satisfy a positional need." -- @hoophuskee (paraphrasing the U.S.A. Selection Committee)

For the record-- I just copied (and noted at the time) what the poster said. That poster below should get the credit for pulling the data. Not me.

NycUcWbbFan​

 

[Dillon77]

For the record-- I just copied (and noted at the time) what the poster said. That poster below should get the credit for pulling the data. Not me.

NycUcWbbFan​

Thanks for the upfrontness. I stand corrected and will change if the "edit" option is still open (Done! )

 

[baggerbob]

Alyssa Thomas was making this team no matter what, imo. If Griner hadn't been ready to go, A. Boston may have gotten that spot if the team wanted a bruiser in the middle. But Thomas does plenty of bruising on her own.

Stewie, A'ja, and Thomas work well together. They all can defend multiple positions, rebound, and score.

 

[GamecockFam]

Sabrina Ionescu is a Nancy Lieberman award winner (a 2,000 point, 1,000 assist player along with Courtney Vandersloot).

Courtney Vandersloot is not eligible for Team USA.

SDS would be problematic, due to chemistry issues with Diana.

Based on scoring ranks, the following would-be newcomers are not ideal:

• Courtney Williams (39)
• Tyasha Harris (41)
• Dana Evans (44)
• Layshia Clarendon (79) — Not a newcomer

Brittney Sykes is injured.

Arike Ogunbowale has not played with anyone on Team USA and some would say that despite her numbers, her team’s lack of success is because of her.

Had Aliyah Boston been gangbusters, Caitlyn would have a better chance of making the team and not playing mop-up minutes. But Aliyah’s play has regressed with Caitlyn at point — so much so that arguably her slot went to Alyssa Thomas.

For reasons I detailed here and here, Diana’s inclusion in Team USA is not only very defensible but also the best option among your listed alternatives.

That's basically where I was going with my question. If not DT, then who...? There really aren't that many all-star PGs out there at the moment. Of those players, I would probably pick Dana Evans off that list if DT was unavailable.

 

[baggerbob]

That's basically where I was going with my question. If not DT, then who...? There really aren't that many all-star PGs out there at the moment. Of those players, I would probably pick Dana Evans off that list if DT was unavailable.

Actually Rebecca summed it up well, DT has been to all the camps in the past 2 years, and played well.
Plus is respected by the players, and Clark hasn't been to any.
So I will withdraw my objections, and go with Rebecca.

 

[cancontent]

Could you please tell me just where Brink and Van Lith have been playing organized 3x3 for the last couple of years? Most any woman starting for a D1 college team and certainly any playing in the WNBA have played 3x3 basketball. I don't know how this selection was made, what the rules were, etc., but I have to think that if Brink was chosen why wouldn't Caitlin Clark have been a much better (by heaps and miles better) choice than Van Lith? Why wouldn't most likely 50 other players have been better? Hailey couldn't hit the broadside of a barn for LSU during the playoffs and for much of the season. This one puzzles me greatly, but as I said there could be factors involved that I am unaware of.

Sure. The USA Basketball's website does a good job of it.

Hailey Van Lith: Hailey Van Lith - USA Basketball

Cameron Brink: Cameron Brink - USA Basketball

 

[Just.A.Fan]

Sure. The USA Basketball's website does a good job of it.

Hailey Van Lith: Hailey Van Lith - USA Basketball

Cameron Brink: Cameron Brink - USA Basketball

Thank you.