WNBA star reveals she withdrew from Olympics selection because of team 'politics' after Caitlin Clark's snub prompted furious backlash.
Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale says that she voluntarily withdrew her name from consideration for the USA women's Olympic basketball team - saying she felt that she wouldn't be selected for a while.
Ogunbowale, who won a national title while at Notre Dame, is one of the leading scorers in the WNBA - averaging the second-most points in the league.
But when her name was not on the list of players for the Olympic team, it was viewed as one of the biggest snubs for the squad - alongside other absences like Caitlin Clark among others.
However, Ogunbowale set the record straight on an episode of the 'Nightcap' podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson.
'I pretty much had an idea that I wouldn't be on it,' Ogunbowale said. 'I just felt the vibes. When it comes to that stuff, it really doesn't have much to do with your game. It's really about who they think fits with the team.'
Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale took her name out of contention for the US Olympic team
While the team included stars like A'ja Wilson (9) and Breanna Stewart (10), many believed that Ogunbowale was snubbed from the roster and that she deserved a chance to play in Paris
'I actually took my name out of the pool months ago,' she added. 'When the list came out, I know everybody was like, "Arike should've been on it." I knew I wouldn't be on it.
'That's not saying I didn't think maybe last year I would be on the team, that I was good enough to make the team. But when the list came out, I knew I would not be on that one at the time 'cause I took my name out the pool.
30 сен 2024
