Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the Minnesota Lynx and leader of this year’s women’s basketball team at the Summer Olympics, reportedly voiced her concerns over the WNBA’s heavy promotion of Caitlin Clark.

This has extended into Clark not being selected to be part of Reeve’s Olympic squad headed to Paris in 2024.

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Rookie Caitlin Clark opens up and reveals her unique life in Indiana

Reeve responded to a WNBA promotional message, reminding the league that there are many star players, not just the newest ones entering the league via the WNBA Draft.

Was the Olympic team selection process fair?

It remains unclear how much Reeve influenced the selection process. Many believe that there was a clear issue between Reeve and the newer blood in the league and that she acted accordingly, albeit not in the best interest of the team.

However, USA TODAY reported that multiple team veterans were concerned about Clark. Two long-time U.S. basketball veterans, speaking anonymously, mentioned that concern over how Clark’s large fanbase would react to her likely limited playing time on a stacked roster was a factor in the decision-making process.

This suggests real tension between the established players and the rising star and that this is a problem that isn’t going anyway anytime soon.

Clark has faced significant attention since her arrival in the WNBA, including being physically targeted by her opponents on the court.

Many have argued that Clark is the biggest star to ever be drafted into the WNBA, and this has caused a lot of debate in recent months.

Whilst there is unprecedented interest in the league as a result, there appears to be a lot of ill-will towards Clark and if some of that is indeed coming from such a prominent coach, there is likely going to have to be serious conversations about the direction the league is headed.