One Japanese women’s basketball fan tried to troll the US women’s national team over the decision to leave Caitlin Clark off the roster for this year’s Olympics in Paris.
The spectator, who was wearing a half-Nets, half-Lakers jersey, was spotted holding up a sign that mocked the American squad’s decision to not have Clark wear the red, white and blue.
“You need Caitlin Clark to beat us,” read the sign.
The video posted to X by NBC Sports’ Kerith Burke also appeared to show several Team USA stars noticing the sign as they were warming up ahead of the group stage opener against Japan on Monday.
Fans cheer in the stands before the USA-Japan game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer GamesJohn David Mercer-USA TODAY Sport
The joke seemed to be on the Japanese fan in the end as the United States defeated Japan, 102-76, in a game that was dominated by the Americans.
Stars A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart combined for 46 points for the US Women, with the Liberty star putting up 22 points and pulling down eight boards.
A’ja Wilson reacts to the Caitlin Clark sign before the U.S. and Japan group stage game on July 29, 2024.X @KerithBurke
The decision to leave Clark off the Olympic roster has been a point of contention among basketball fans and had been used as evidence in the argument that there had been some sort of axe to grind against the rookie sensation.
University of South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, a member of the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team selection committee, told NBC’s Mike Tirico over the weekend that considering how well she played during the first half of the WNBA season, they might have viewed her differently.
aitlin Clark looks for an open teammate against Team USA guard Chelsea Gray during the WNBA All-Star Game at Footprint Center in Phoenix on July 20, 2024.Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Team USA celebrates during the game against Team Japan on July 29, 2024 at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Paris, France.NBAE via Getty Images
“As a committee member, you’re charged with putting together the best team,” Staley said. “The best players, the best talent. Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA. [She] wasn’t playing bad, but wasn’t playing like she’s playing now.
“If we had to do it all over again, the way that she’s playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people.”
Clark was enjoying some R&R last week with her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, following her first WNBA All-Star game.
McCaffery had shared a photo of the couple on a boat somewhere warm.
