Colin Cowherd fuels speculation about Caitlin Clark’s inclusion in women’s USA basketball (Imagn)
Colin Cowherd sent a clear message about Caitlin Clark and Team USA. The Indiana Fever rookie was snubbed from the roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics, which didn’t sit well with plenty of fans and analysts. Clark was popular before that moment and the Fever’s recent resurgence has bolstered her case for an Olympic spot.
During The Herd on Monday, Cowherd mentioned that Diana Taurasi’s health issues have opened the door for Clark. First, he compared Clark to Taylor Swift, noting that the people around them didn’t foresee their impact on their respective fields.
“Women’s basketball just didn’t quite know how to handle Caitlin Clark,” he said. “It reminds me a little bit of when Taylor Swift became a billionaire with the Eras Tour and the management team, Ticket Master had to apologize. In 10 minutes, they couldn’t supply enough tickets. They were completely overwhelmed. And I think that’s what women’s basketball was with Caitlin Clark.”
The analyst said the selections are political and USA Basketball shouldn’t miss the chance to add Clark to the roster.
“Go look at the men’s team, it’s political. Jaylen Brown is not on it ’cause Nike doesn’t want him on it. Kyrie Irving is not on it ’cause Nike doesn’t want him on it. You’re not gonna put Caitlin Clark, your Taylor Swift, on the team?
“Well, she sells out her All-Star jersey in 17 minutes, she’s exploding as a player, she leads the WNBA in assists, she’s third in 3-pointers made, Indiana has won eight of 12. Yesterday was a prime example of where she is in the fourth quarter, best player on the court,” Cowherd said.
"Don't double down on dumb. Get her on the team. Give us a reason to watch the Olympic women's team."
— @ColinCowherd pleads for Caitlin Clark
pic.twitter.com/65MsKw28Oq— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 15, 2024
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever surpass home and away combined WNBA attendance record
The numbers back Colin Cowherd’s thoughts, as Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have become a major feature in the WNBA. Even before she made her WNBA debut, teams like the Washington Mystics and LA Sparks had to relocate their games against the 2024 No. 1 overall pick.
After selling out Target Center against the Lynx on Sunday, with 18,978 fans, the Fever surpassed the Washington Mystics, who held the record for the most attendance in a season (both home and away) for 25 years. The Fever only needed 25 games to shatter this record and prove again that Clark isn’t a regular rookie.
After the Lynx game, the Fever has amassed a total of 409,271 fans attending their games, overtaking the Mystics and the 408,059 fans who watched their games in 1999.
