Caitlin Clark Rumors: Fan Backlash to Potential Playing Time Led to USA Olympic Snub | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Indiana Fever star and 2024 WNBA No. 1 overall draft pick Caitlin Clark was reportedly left off the United States women's basketball team for the 2024 Summer Olympics due to concerns over how her playing time would be scrutinized.

According to Christine Brennan of USA Today, two anonymous sources who are "longtime U.S. basketball veterans with decades of experience" said "concern over how Clark's millions of fans would react to what would likely be limited playing time on a stacked roster" contributed to the decision to not select her.

ESPN was one of several outlets to report Saturday that Clark will not be part of the United States squad competing at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.

Team USA will reportedly be made up of multiple Olympic veterans, including Diana Taurasi, who will look to win her sixth Olympic gold medal in her sixth appearance. She will be joined by Brittney Griner, A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, Napheesa Collier and Chelsea Gray.

Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young are also reportedly on the team after leading Team USA to gold in 3x3 women's basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics, as are first-time Olympians Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Cooper and Alyssa Thomas.

Clark was a dominant force during her collegiate career at Iowa, leading the Hawkeyes to the National Championship Game in each of the past two seasons.

She also won back-to-back National College Player of the Year awards, and she left Iowa as the all-time leading scorer across both women's and men's Division I college basketball.

Clark was the obvious No. 1 overall pick to the Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft, and her arrival to the league brought plenty of fanfare along with it.

Friday's game between the Fever and Washington Mystics in Washington, D.C. had to be moved to Capital One Arena due to high ticket demand, and it saw 20,333 fans attend the contest, which was the highest attendance for a WNBA game since 2007.

Clark had arguably her best game as a pro with 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals, as Indiana won 85-83.

It hasn't all been smooth sailing for Clark so far, however, as the Fever are just 3-9. Also, she is shooting just 37.3 percent from the field, although her counting stats have been solid with 16.8 points, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per contest.

Clark has also been the subject of controversy due to speculation that veteran players have targeted her at times to make an example out of her.

The most recent instance occurred during last weeks game between the Fever and Chicago Sky when Chennedy Carter aggressively knocked Clark to the floor away from the play.

It can be argued that the story has been made bigger than it truly was due to the size and passion of Clark's fanbase, and it sounds as though that was a factor in leaving Clark off the United States national team for the Olympics.