When the USA team was announced, I expressed my opinion that a mistake had been made by not selecting Caitlin Clark for the team. I admitted that there were always going to be controversies about such selections whether it is choosing players for the MLB All-Star game, the 68 teams to participate in in the NCAA basketball tournament, or the basketball players selected for the Olympic teams. I believed at the time that Caitlin Clark should have been selected for the team. The reasons given by the talking media and WNBA heads for omitting her were frequently strained while the reasons on this board were considerably more lucid.
I conceded that statistically her stats were not approaching what she had posted at Iowa, and the Indiana Fever was not playing well. As it turned out, not playing in the Olympics might have been the best thing that could have happened for her and for her team. The break in the schedule gave her an opportunity to have a break from basketball for the first time in over a year and a chance for the team to get use to each other. Since that break, the Fever has been one of the better teams in the WNBA.
In addition, her stats have continued to improve to the extent that she should be Rookie of the Year. She is already putting her name in the record book. She has established the record for the most assists in a game with 19, and she is second with the most assists in one quarter with 7. She is third on the career list for total triple doubles with 2. She is filling up the rookie record book, With several games to be played, she has the second most points ever with 692, first on most made 3 pointers in a season with 111, first with total assists with 306, first with pointers and assists double doubles with 12, and first with average assists per game at 8.5.
Lastly, she has attracted record numbers of fans to come to her games, to watch her televised games, and to purchase #22 jerseys, basketballs, and shoes.
I conceded that statistically her stats were not approaching what she had posted at Iowa, and the Indiana Fever was not playing well. As it turned out, not playing in the Olympics might have been the best thing that could have happened for her and for her team. The break in the schedule gave her an opportunity to have a break from basketball for the first time in over a year and a chance for the team to get use to each other. Since that break, the Fever has been one of the better teams in the WNBA.
In addition, her stats have continued to improve to the extent that she should be Rookie of the Year. She is already putting her name in the record book. She has established the record for the most assists in a game with 19, and she is second with the most assists in one quarter with 7. She is third on the career list for total triple doubles with 2. She is filling up the rookie record book, With several games to be played, she has the second most points ever with 692, first on most made 3 pointers in a season with 111, first with total assists with 306, first with pointers and assists double doubles with 12, and first with average assists per game at 8.5.
Lastly, she has attracted record numbers of fans to come to her games, to watch her televised games, and to purchase #22 jerseys, basketballs, and shoes.
