Brittney Griner Will Play At 2024 Paris Olympics

It was recently announced that Brittney Griner, 33, has made Team USA and is set to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer. Caitlin Clark, 22, however, will be watching from home.

On Saturday, June 8, the USA Women’s Basketball team for the 2024 Paris Olympics was announced. Some names that made the roster include guard Ariel Atkins, 27; forward Shakia Austin, 23; guard Rhyne Howard, 24; guard Kelsey Plus, 29; center Breanna Stewart, 29; and 33-year-old center Brittney Griner.

As fans scrolled the list, they were shocked that the WNBA’s latest sensation, Caitlin Clark, had been left off.

While Brittney Griner made the 2024 Paris Olympics, Caitlin Clark, who just broke a record by becoming the fastest WNBA player to reach 200 points and 75 assists, completing it in 12 games, will not be traveling to Paris for the 2024 Olympics and will instead watch from home.

The 22-year-old is known for her deep shooting range, often making three-pointers from well beyond the arc. In fact, on June 7, she hit seven 3-pointers during a sold-out crowd against the Mystics. She also tied for her career high, scoring 30 points.

Given her outstanding college career, Caitlin Clark was drafted as the number one overall pick at the WNBA Draft earlier this year.

After seeing the Team USA roster, sports fans were shocked to see the former Iowa Hawkeyes’s name left off the list. However, Brittney Griner, who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges in 2022, will be flying to Paris to participate.

“Whoever decided [to leave] Caitlin [Clark] off the Olympic team should be fired. She is already the best player on the Indiana Fever, and the idiots selected Brit Griner and 42-year-old Diana Taurasi,” one fan said on social media.

“1:30 a.m. EST drop of the Olympic roster is one of the most cowardly things I’ve seen. @usabasketball There should always be at least 1 fresh out of college player. Griner has played 1 game. Gray hasn’t played. Taurasi has had her time, she’s 42 next week,” another fan said.

“So the WNBA wonders why people don’t watch?” one sports fan said.

Other social media users questioned the decision to put Brittney Griner on the roster.

“The face of women’s basketball, Caitlin Clark, is not on the U.S.A. Olympic team, but America-hating Brittney Griner is. This is a bad move for this sport,” one X user wrote.

As The Blast previously reported, Brittney Griner spent months in Russian prisons on drug charges. She was released in December 2022 in a swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Brittney Griner was in Russian prison for 294 days.

“How did that traitor Mr. Brittney Griner make the team? She doesn’t produce any offense and less defense,” one X user said after learning of the Team USA roster.

Other sports fans feel that Caitlin Clark deserves to be there more than Brittney Griner as Clark has “brought women’s basketball to the forefront.”

“Clark has brought Women’s Basketball to the forefront! Her Talent is indisputable! Race should not be a factor! Talent is talent. Lebron is talented! We don’t want him eliminated because he’s Black. Clark is a Leader!” one social media user claimed.

“Just when they were getting some eyeballs on the sport, they made the worst decision ever, and now people will not watch. They just don’t get it,” a third expressed.

The USA Women’s Basketball Summer Olympics roster has been announced:

The 2024 Paris Olympics kick off on July 26, 2024.