Despite a Japanese fan's attempt to motivate their team by displaying a sign referring to American star Caitlin Clark, Team USA prevailed in their Paris Olympics matchup, extending their impressive international winning streak.
On Monday, at the Paris Olympics, a Japanese female basketball fan drew attention with a sign bearing the words "You need Caitlin Clark to beat us," presumably intended as a subtle dig at the American team. However, it appeared that Team USA's star players, including A'ja Wilson, Brittney Griner, and others, noticed the sign and its playful jab.
The Americans, seeking to extend their dominant international winning streak, faced Japan in a rematch of the 2020 Olympics gold medal game. Team USA proved their superiority once again, securing a 102-76 victory.
Japanese Fan's Clark Sign Fails to Inspire Japan's Team
Wilson, the standout performer from the Las Vegas Aces, showcased her versatility with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocked shots. Breanna Stewart, representing the New York Liberty, contributed 22 points and eight rebounds. Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, along with Stewart's Liberty teammate Sabrina Ionescu and Wilson's Aces teammate Kelsey Plum, each contributed 11 points.
Notably absent from the Olympic roster was Caitlin Clark, whose omission was based on her limited WNBA experience at the time of selection in June. However, as the WNBA season progressed, Clark's exceptional play, including a triple-double and a single-game assist record of 19, caught the attention of USA Basketball head coach Dawn Staley.
Japanese Fan's Clark Sign Fails to Inspire Japan's Team
Staley acknowledged Clark's remarkable improvement, stating on NBC, "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."
Clark's absence from the Olympic team was likely influenced by her late start in the WNBA season. Despite her impressive performances, she had played only a handful of WNBA games when the Olympic roster was finalized.
Japanese Fan's Clark Sign Fails to Inspire Japan's Team
While the Japanese fan's sign attempted to invoke a sense of inspiration and motivation, Team USA remained unfazed. Their dominant performance served as a reminder of their unwavering excellence in international basketball.
