Dawn Staley, a member of the USA Women’s Basketball selection committee, recently acknowledged that Caitlin Clark‘s WNBA development presented a compelling argument for her selection to the USA Olympic team. Basketball fans’ “Told you so” responses have been sparked by this, following the anger that Clark’s exclusion caused during the roster release last month. Shannon Sharpe was one of the people who was incensed in June when CC was excluded from the women’s team by the selection committee.
As Staley’s remarks gained widespread attention, Sharpe criticized the committee once more. However, he was taken aback by the statement’s timeliness as well.
Shannon Sharpe talks about Dawn Staley’s comments on Caitlin Clark
Sharpe expressed his shock that the illustrious USA Basketball coaching staff was unaware of Clark’s success in the WNBA on his Nightcap pod.
According to him, a coach should forecast a generational player’s path rather than only evaluating them according to where they are at the moment. Sharpe said to Chad Johnson, his co-host:
“I thought the job of a coach is to project. If I take a player in high school, am I saying that’s the best he’s gonna be or I’m projecting in a week, a month, or a year, they are going to be better.”
The ESPN commentator continued by pointing out that since Team USA already had all of the best basketball players competing on the international scene, adding Rookie of the Year contenders Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark would not have changed the team’s chances of winning another gold medal. The women’s international teams lack the talent that the men’s teams do. Therefore, there isn’t much competition for Team USA.
