Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale has pulled his name from the US basketball pool for the 2024 Paris Olympics, he said on Shannon Sharpe, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Gilbert Arenas’ “Nightcap” podcast on Thursday.
“Being me, I just felt the vibrations. When it comes to (the Olympic trials), it really doesn’t have much to do with your game,” she said. “It’s really about who you think fits the team… So I pulled my name out of the group months ago.”
The three-time All-Star previously thought she was “good enough” to make the Olympic roster, but felt the selection criteria were “subjective,” she said. When asked by Johnson if “politics came into play” in the committee’s decision-making process, Ogunbowale said she believed so and that politics was always part of the selection process.
“Whether it’s USA Basketball, whether it’s All-Star teams, whether it’s the first team and things like that, there’s politics… Even with the men’s (basketball teams),” he said. “There’s politics in everything, so I’ll leave it at that.”
In selecting the U.S. roster, committee chairwoman Jen Rizzotti told The Athletic this week that players’ past experience was heavily considered, an indicator of why Indiana’s rookie sensation Fever, Caitlin Clark, was left out of the squad.
“We were supposed to give (Olympic coach) Cheryl (Reeve) a team that has experience and familiarity with international competition, familiarity with the training system, leadership skills, versatility and depth at every position,” Rizzotti said . “We felt like the 12 we selected were the best when it came to a basketball decision.”
The roster shows that preference for veterans with the selection of A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper.
The U.S. women have won gold at every Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women’s team is expected to be the favorite again in Paris.
“Everyone is great in the WNBA, so who they pick is who they pick,” Ogunbowale said.
While Ogunbowale will not suit up for the United States in the 2024 Olympics, he could apply to play for Nigeria, although there has been no indication that that is in the works. At the last Olympic Games, former WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike’s request to play for Nigeria in Tokyo was denied by FIBA due to her long involvement with the United States team.
Detroit Pistons forward and Nigerian-American basketball player Chimezie Metu said “Arike. It’s time,” next to a Nigerian flag in X last week.
Arike. Is the time. 🇳🇬
— Chimezie Metu™ (@Chimezie_Metu) June 8, 2024
Ogunbowale, the fifth pick in the 2019 Draft, was previously named to the All-WNBA first team in 2021 and the second team in 2022. In 11 games for the Wings this season, she averaged 26.2 points (second in the league), 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game and shoots 36.5 percent from the field. She also leads the WNBA with 3.1 steals per game.
(Photo: Cooper Neill//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
Keynote USA
For the Latest Sports News, Follow Keynote USA Sports on Twitter.