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Caitlin Clark USA Olympic snub was the RIGHT decision, claims Kevin Durant - despite the call sparking outrage
NBA star Kevin Durant has claimed Team USA was right for leaving Caitlin Clark off its women's Olympic roster, as the two-time champion said there were currently 'better candidates.'
The decision to snub Clark, who starred at Iowa before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft, was met with outrage as many argued her massive fame should have seen her selected.
But Durant, who will play in his fourth Olympics this summer in Paris, thinks it's a bit early for the Indiana Fever star.
'I still think it's proper steps you gotta take in our world to be considered an Olympian,' Durant said in a conversation with the Wall Street Journal.
'I think she's gonna definitely be on one of these teams going forward, but right now it's better candidates out there, I think. But Caitlin's just gotta continue to keep showing up every day, and the WNBA is doing a great job of showcasing her.
WNBA star Caitlin Clark was left off of the USA OIympic roster in a controversial decision
But the Suns' Kevin Durant has said that he agrees with the decision to leave Clark at home
'I'm seeing her games on ESPN every other day,' he continued. 'I've seen talks around - no matter what they're talking about, there's a lot of dialogue around the game right now, so that's good as well.'
Clark, who was a two-time National Player of the Year at Iowa, is scoring 16.1 points per game at the pro level but is also shooting just 38.3 percent from the field and coughing up 5.5 turnovers per night.
Nonetheless, her exclusion from the USA women's squad was met with fury by many in the sports world, as Stephen A. Smith blasted the 'idiocy' of leaving her at home.
'I want all the ladies on this squad to know, every single one of y'all are deserving on it.,' he said on First Take. 'Caitlin Clark does not deserve a spot ahead of any of the players on this roster... if we're talking just basketball! You know we're not!'
He added: 'This girl is box office. I said a rising tide lifts all boats; especially if you're Team USA and you're trying to be globalized and there's an opportunity to globalize the WNBA brand, so people like Brittney Griner and others don't have to go to Russia in the offseason to play basketball to get additional income...
'They could stay right here if the sport elevates its popularity and you ladies start getting what you richly deserve.'
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin also insisted that Clark deserved a spot on the roster, while WNBA legend Diana Taurasi - who is set to play in her sixth Olympic Games this summer - defended USA basketball's decision to leave her off the roster.
'The Olympic team really is just a collection of best players,' she told Yahoo Sports when asked about the decision to leave Clark off the roster. 'But at the end of the day, USA basketball always has a firm grasp of what they need as a team.
'I think people kind of lose track of no matter what, you have to make sure that 12 players fit to form the best team, not necessarily the best players. Whatever the 12 are, I think USA basketball has always done a great job of putting that collection of talent together.'
Clark said she would be rooting for the USA women to win gold despite being snubbed
WNBA veteran Diana Taurasi also defended USA Basketball's decision to exclude Clark
Clark, for her part, said she'd still be 'rooting them on to win gold'.
'I know it's the most competitive team in the world and I know it could've gone either way, me being on the team or me not being on the team,' she said.
'I'm excited for them, gonna be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, it'll be fun to watch them.
'Honestly, no disappointment. I think 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 bit more motivation. You remember that and hopefully when four years comes back around, I can be there.'