Caitlin Clark USA Olympic snub was the RIGHT decision, claims Kevin Durant – despite the call sparking outrage

NBA star Kevin Durant has claimed that Team USA was right to leave Caitlin Clark off the Olympic women’s squad as the two-time champion said there were currently ‘better candidates’.

The decision to cut Clark, who played at Iowa before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, was met with outrage as many argued her immense fame should have selected her.

But Durant, who will compete in his fourth Olympic Games this summer in Paris, thinks it’s still a bit early for the Indiana Fever star.

“I still think it’s the right steps to take in our world to be considered an Olympian,” Durant said. Wall Street Journal.

“I think she will definitely be on one of these teams in the future, but right now there are better candidates, I think. But Caitlin just has to keep showing up every day, and the WNBA is doing a great job of showcasing her.

But Kevin Durant of the Suns has said he agrees with the decision to leave Clark at home

“I watch her games every other day on ESPN,” he continued. “I’ve seen conversations, whatever they’re talking about, there’s a lot of dialogue around the game at the moment, so that’s good too.”

Clark, who was a two-time National Player of the Year at Iowa, scores 16.1 points per game at the pro level, but also shoots just 38.3 percent from the field and coughs up 5.5 turnovers per night.

Nevertheless, her exclusion from the U.S. women’s team was met with anger by many in the sports world, as Stephen A. Smith decried the “idiocy” of leaving her at home.

“I want all the ladies on this team to know that you’re all entitled to it,” he said on First Take. “Caitlin Clark doesn’t deserve an edge over any of the players on this roster… if we’re just talking basketball! You know that’s not true!’

He added: “This girl is a checkout. I said a rising tide lifts all boats; especially if you’re Team USA and you’re trying to globalize and there’s an opportunity to globalize the WNBA brand so that people like Brittney Griner and others don’t have to go to Russia in the offseason to play basketball to get extra income…

“They could stay here if the sport becomes more popular and you ladies get what you richly deserve.”

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin also emphasized that Clark deserved a spot on the roster, while WNBA legend Diana Taurasi – who will play in her sixth Olympic Games this summer – defended USA Basketball’s decision to leave her off the roster .

“The Olympic team is really just a collection of the best players,” she said Yahoo Sports when asked about the decision to leave Clark off the roster. ‘But in the end, American basketball always knows what they need as a team.

“I think people lose track, whatever happens, you have to make sure that 12 players fit to make the best team, not necessarily the best players. Whatever the 12 are, I think American basketball has always done a great job of bringing that collection of talent together.”

Clark said she would advocate for the U.S. women to win gold despite being snubbed

WNBA veteran Diana Taurasi also defended USA Basketball’s decision to cut Clark

Clark, for her part, said she would still “push them to win gold.”

“I know this is the most competitive team in the world and I know it could have gone either way whether I was on the team or not,” she said.

“I’m excited for them, I’m going to cheer them on to win gold. I was a kid who grew up watching the Olympics, it will be fun to watch it.

‘Honestly not a disappointment. I guess it just gives you something to work for. It’s a dream, hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little more motivation. Remember that and hopefully I can be there in four years.”