A Japanese fan's cheeky sign, reading "You need Caitlin Clark to beat us", was met with a resounding "not today" by the US women's basketball team as they comfortably defeated Japan 102-76 in their Paris Olympics matchup on Monday.
The Americans, seeking to extend their impressive international winning streak and avenge their 2020 Olympics gold medal game loss to Japan, showed no sign of needing the absent University of Iowa star.
A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces led the charge with an impressive 24 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks. Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty chipped in with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, Sabrina Ionescu, and Kelsey Plum each added 11 points.
Clark, a rookie in the WNBA, was left off the Olympic roster when it was announced in June due to limited experience. However, her standout performances in recent WNBA games, including a triple-double and setting a single-game record of 19 assists, have sparked debate about her potential inclusion.
US head coach Dawn Staley, who oversees the team selection process, acknowledged Clark's significant improvement since the roster was finalised. "Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA," Staley remarked on NBC. "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. Shooting the ball extremely well, I mean she is an elite passer, sheâs just got a great basketball IQ, and sheâs a little more seasoned in the pro game in a couple of months than she was two months ago."
Despite the absence of Clark, the US team showcased their strength and dominance on the court, silencing the optimistic Japanese fan and reaffirming their position as a formidable force in women's basketball.
