🚨Breaking🚨Caitlin Clark FRUSTRATED with benching as Coach Christie Sides throws her under the bus.
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USA Basketball valued experience over popularity in excluding Caitlin Clark
TV viewership, jersey sales and popularity weren’t “the purview of the committee,” committee chair Jennifer Rizzotti said.
USA Basketball on Tuesday confirmed Caitlin Clark’s exclusion from its 12-player roster for the Paris Olympics. (Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
A top USA Basketball official said Caitlin Clark’s popularity and impact on television viewership weren’t “the purview of the [selection] committee” after the organization announced its roster Tuesday for the women’s competition at this summer’s Paris Olympics.
The official announcement came three days after reports emerged that Clark would be left off the 12-player squad, igniting debate over whether the rookie WNBA star should have made the team.
“Obviously, I want today to mostly be [about] the players that made the team, but there’s no avoiding the conversation around who didn’t, so I’m happy to address it,” Jennifer Rizzotti, the USA Basketball women’s national team committee chair, told reporters during a news conference. “Obviously, we know the success that Caitlin had in college, and she’s had a tremendous start to the WNBA season so far. … But essentially it was the committee’s job to pick the 12 based on our selection criteria, and as much as you want to maybe make conversation around how we should have considered TV viewership or jersey sales or popularity, that wasn’t the purview of the committee to have those discussions. The selection criteria were very clear.”
The roster is stocked with decorated players, headlined by two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and five-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi, who will break the record for most Olympics played in basketball with her sixth selection. It also features Olympic veterans Breanna Stewart, Chelsea Gray, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd and Brittney Griner, who will play internationally for the first time since she was detained in a Russian prison for 10 months in 2022.
Also included were Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum, who won gold in three-on-three basketball at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, plus first-time Olympians Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, who all played on the U.S. team that won the FIBA World Cup in 2022.
Good luck, world. See ya in Paris.
#USABWNT x #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/4k5wzERroq
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) June 11, 2024
Rizzotti cited the value of experience and continuity in assembling the roster for Coach Cheryl Reeve.
“A lot of conversation goes around what’s most important to put on the floor for Cheryl and give her the opportunity to have the best roster available, not necessarily always the 12 best players,” Rizzotti said. “There’s consideration around positions, depth, versatility, style of play that Cheryl has implemented over the last three years. Familiarity around international competition; familiarity with each other. But I think the challenge that was prevalent for us was the lack of prep time that we would have in July.
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“I think trying to balance all of that in our decision-making, block outside noise around things that weren’t part of our criteria, and really hone in and have integrity around the process with sticking to a roster that fit the criteria for the selection process. And I’m really proud of our committee for coming to that final roster, because it wasn’t easy.”
Clark’s star ascended at the University of Iowa, where she led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship game appearances and finished her career as the NCAA’s Division I scoring leader.
She was selected as the No. 1 pick by the Indiana Fever in this year’s WNBA draft, and her arrival has coincided with substantial increases in television ratings, attendance and merchandise sales. The 22-year-old is averaging 16.3 points, 6.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 13 games, but the Fever is just 3-10.
Clark has represented the United States in youth competitions and was invited to USA Basketball’s final pre-Olympics training camp in April, but she could not attend because Iowa was competing in the Final Four.
The United States has won every gold medal in women’s basketball since the 1996 Summer Olympics, and the Americans will be favored to win an eighth straight gold in Paris. They will face Japan in their Olympic opener July 29. The gold medal game is Aug. 11.
In constructing a veteran-laden roster, Rizzotti said players’ age was not a factor. Still, she added it can be a challenge to create space on the roster for developing players when the talent pool is so deep.
“I think it is an important part of the game, but I also think that it’s been documented that people hit their peak in their athletic careers when they’re in their mid-to-late 20s,” Rizzotti said. “So we’re talking about these college players that are phenomenal and they’re going to be future stars of our game, coming out of college and playing against women that are at their peak or that have years of experience.”
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SHOULD JAMES JONES BE DISAPPOINTED IN AARON RODGERS FOR SKIPPING JETS MINICAMP? | NFL | SPEAK
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NFL mandatory minicamp overreactions: Should Aaron Rodgers have been with Jets? Will Bengals sign both WRs?
NFL mandatory minicamp season is in full swing, with 22 of the 32 teams having the conclusion of Phase Three of their offseason programs this week. The other teams ended their spring season last week, getting an early start on summer.
With mandatory minicamps across the league in full force, plenty of storylines headline the NFL in mid-June. Which storylines this week have been overreactions and which ones are worth paying attention to with summer approaching?
Aaron Rodgers should have been at Jets mandatory minicamp
Overreaction or Reality: Overreaction
Rodgers had an unexcused absence from the first practice of Jets mandatory minicamp because of an event that’s important to him. That’s fine by the Jets, but not one they can hand out to just one player. Rodgers will get fined for the day and he and the Jets will move on.
This is only the first practice Rodgers has missed, as the quarterback has been present at every voluntary workout. Missing a practice in June doesn’t relate toward missing a training camp practice in August for a similar event.
The Jets may not be happy Rodgers was absent, but they can’t allow every player on their team to miss practice for “events” that come up. If anything, the Jets are at fault for making this a headline when it didn’t have to be.
This story is a nothing-burger.
Jets should have given Haason Reddick a contract extension when they traded for him
Overreaction or Reality: Reality
Why did the Jets trade for Reddick and think a change of scenery was what he wanted? Reddick never wanted to leave the Philadelphia Eagles, but he did want a long-term extension and wished to be paid as one of the best pass rushers in football. Getting traded to another team wasn’t going to change that.
The Jets traded for Reddick and didn’t agree to a long-term extension immediately. That was a major miss by the front office, especially with Reddick only making $15 million in the final year of his deal. Reddick is the 19th-highest paid edge rusher in football, clearly underpaid for a player who has four straight double-digit sack seasons (only Myles Garrett has done that over the last four years). He’s also fourth in the league in sacks since the start of the 2020 season (50.5).
Reddick deserves to be paid amongst the best edge rushers in the game, even for a player who will be 30 years old this year. The Jets should have given him the extension once they traded for Reddick, as most of these deals typically happen after a trade is made.
Bengals will sign Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to long-term deals
Overreaction or Reality: Overreaction
The Bengals received excellent news when Chase was present for mandatory minicamp, despite his previous absence and wanting a new contract. Of the 2020 and 2021 wide receivers, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith each earned $25-plus million per year in their contract extensions. Chase will certainly top $30 million.
Cincinnati will make sure Chase is signed, but what about Higgins? The franchise tag of $21.8 million has been slapped on Higgins, but he hasn’t signed it yet in hopes of a long-term extension. Will the Bengals give him one or settle for an altered one-year deal before allowing him to test free agency?
With the inflating wide receiver market, it will be significantly harder to pay Higgins given the Bengals will have to sign Chase. Higgins also will likely seek to be paid amongst the top-10 wide receivers in the game.
The Bengals will have the cap space to pay both for 2025 and beyond, but Chase is the priority. Signing both is the challenge this offseason.
Daniel Jones is hurting his chances to win the Giants starting QB job
Overreaction or Reality: Overreaction
Jones is still recovering from last year’s ACL injury and will be held out of team drills during mandatory minicamp. That gives Drew Lock an opportunity to work with the first team in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11s, giving him more reps with Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson — ones Jones could be getting as the team’s QB1.
While Jones is expected to be ready for training camp, Lock is getting those valuable reps this offseason while Jones is rehabbing. Jones is the starting quarterback of this team and will be once training camp starts.
Could Lock have an advantage over Jones because of the minicamp reps? Sure, but Jones is going to start for the Giants in Week 1. Rehabbing from a torn ACL isn’t going to cost Jones his job. His play on the field this fall is a different story.
Browns won’t sign Amari Cooper to a contract extension after the season
Overreaction or Reality: Reality
The Browns have an interesting decision to make regarding Cooper, who didn’t show up to mandatory minicamp despite being in a contract year. Cooper is clearly Cleveland’s No. 1 wide receiver, who is coming off a season which he had 72 catches for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns (17.4 yards per catch).
Over the last two seasons, Cooper is eighth in receiving yards (2,410) and 10th in yards per catch (16.1). That’s great value for a player who is only making $20 million a year (tied for 20th in NFL).
The wide receiver market has inflated this offseason and will only get higher. How much will Cooper make if he has another season with 70-plus catches and 1,110-plus receiving yards (and he’s only 30)? Will the Browns pay Cooper north of $28 million per year?
Keep in mind Cleveland is also projected to be $42.9 million over the salary cap next year. There just may not be room to sign Cooper next offseason, no matter how well he produces.
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CHIEFS’ CHRIS JONES LAYS OUT IDEAL RETIREMENT PLAN WITH TE TRAVIS KELCE, EYES 20-SACK SEASON IN 2024
Chiefs’ Chris Jones lays out ideal retirement plan with TE Travis Kelce, eyes 20-sack season in 2024PublishedEven the mere mention of teammate Travis Kelce discussing retirement recently made Chris Jones shudder.
Jones, the All-Pro defensive lineman, spoke to the media Wednesday — one day after Kelce did — and was asked about his teammate since 2016 openly discussing the end of his career. Granted, Kelce said he’ll play “until the wheels come off” and gave no indication that 2024 would be his final season in the NFL, but Jones wasn’t even willing to go that far.
“Once you begin to think about things like that, you’re getting to feed the mind those types of thoughts,” Jones told reporters on Wednesday. “I don’t even want my mind to even go that far to the ‘R’ word.”
Jones, 29, signed a new five-year extension to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason and has no plans on being anywhere else during that span. He even encouraged Kelce to stick around through the end of Jones’ current deal.
“He’s got like four or five more years (left), and what is he talking about, right?” Jones said. “We can’t let TK go. … We’ve got to retire together. Give me at least six, four years, then we’ll talk aboutRELATED LINKS
Four more years for Kelce might be pushing it. Six more would push him past the age of 40. But if the Chiefs keep winning, who knows?
Jones has the luxury of time, as he’s nearly five years younger than Kelce, and he still has plenty of team and individual goals left, even after three Super Bowl championships and five All-Pro mentions. This coming season, Jones is shooting for 20 sacks and a third straight Super Bowl title, which has never been done before.
“It’s (going to be) tough as hell,” Jones said, “but I’m going to do it.”
Twice Jones has reached 15.5 sacks in a season, once in 16 games and once in 17 games. Last season, he had 10.5 sacks in spite of missing the Week 1 loss to the Lions while holding out for a new contract.
After reporting to the team the following week, Jones racked up one-plus sack in each of his first five games, had a two-sack game against the Eagles and finished the season with sacks in each of his final three regular-season games.
When asked what it might take to hit the 20-sack plateau, Jones said: “Everything, everything. God, luck, some unselfish teammates and “Sack Nation,'” which is his nickname for a Chiefs pass-rush unit that ranked second in the NFL in sacks a year ago.
It might also take all those things for Jones and Kelce to team up for five more years, but the Chiefs look like Super Bowl contenders for however long their run together continues
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