LeBron JamesĀ found himself burned on social media after Team USA decided to overlook Caitlin Clark from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with a USA Today reporter going straight for the jugular with theĀ Los Angeles LakersĀ star.
The decision to snub the overall first pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft has been criticized by fans and pundits alike, as well as her mother and brother, as the executives argue they left her at home because they feared her star power and its impact.
It comes afterĀ Team USAĀ announced their male team for the Games, leading Dan WolkenĀ to question whetherĀ JamesĀ belongs on that team moments after he rushed to the defence of ClarkĀ precisely because of her global game.
“You have one opportunity every four years to present your sport to an international audience of people who don’t tune in regularly,”Ā WolkenĀ said on X.com, formerly Twitter. “By the way, we aren’t doing the current 12 best players on the men’s side either.
“Other factors matter. It’s absurd to leave her off. IsĀ LeBronĀ in 2024 one of the 12 American basketball players best equipped to bring home a gold medal?”
Fans slam Wolken’s comments
JamesĀ isn’t one of the first players one would expect to be told he isn’t good enough to win the Olympics, after all the 39-year-old is a four-time NBA Champion with four NBA Finals MVP awards and four NBA MVP accolades to his name. He’s a high pedigree.
Even if we don’t use historical data and focus on his 2023 form, he averaged 25.7 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game and 8.3 assists per game so this isn’t like we’re dealing with a washed pro who can’t cut it anymore. That’s what fans quickly reminded Wolken.
One fan replied, “I think you’re vastly overrating the younger generation of American players. He very easily still clears Halliburton and arguments can be made for Book and Ant too.”
Whilst another added, “LeBronĀ had an All-NBA season. And there are quite a few foreign players amongst those 15. So yes he’s a top 10 American player and deserves his spot on the team.”