In the world of sports marketing, the rule of thumb is usually quite simple: you put your biggest star front and center. It’s a strategy that sells tickets, drives TV ratings, and grows the game. Yet, for reasons that continue to baffle experts and infuriate fans, USA Basketball seems determined to rewrite the playbook—by apparently hiding the most popular female athlete on the planet.

This week, what should have been a moment of celebration and unity for women’s basketball turned into yet another public relations nightmare. USA Basketball announced its roster for the upcoming senior training camp in Durham, North Carolina, and to the relief of many, Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark was on the list. After the controversial decision to leave her off the 2024 Olympic team, this invitation was seen as a chance to heal old wounds and finally embrace the “Caitlin Clark effect” on the international stage.

However, the goodwill evaporated almost as quickly as it arrived. When the organization released the promotional graphic to announce the camp, the face that has launched a thousand sold-out arenas was nowhere to be found.

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The “Phantom” Star

The promotional image, intended to build hype for the December camp, featured several talented stars, including Kahleah Copper, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray. These are undeniably great players who deserve recognition. But the omission of Caitlin Clark—the undisputed face of the sport’s meteoric rise—felt to many like a calculated slight.

“It felt like a purposeful slap in the face,” one commentator noted, echoing the sentiments of a fanbase that has grown tired of seeing their favorite player marginalized. “This wasn’t only an error; the message was loud and clear.”

The decision to exclude Clark from the visual marketing of the event has been labeled “marketing malpractice” by critics. In an era where engagement is currency, leaving Clark off the graphic is akin to the 1992 Dream Team leaving Michael Jordan off the poster. It defies logic, fueling speculation that internal politics continue to take precedence over the growth of the sport.

The Backlash and the Brennan Effect

The uproar was immediate and deafening. Social media platforms lit up with questions ranging from “Who are these players?” to direct accusations of jealousy and incompetence within the USA Basketball hierarchy.

Prominent sports journalist Christine Brennan threw gasoline on the fire with a post that went viral, garnering over 250,000 views. Brennan pointed out the obvious: if the goal is to grow the game and attract new eyeballs, featuring Caitlin Clark is not just an option; it is a necessity. Her critique struck a nerve, forcing the organization into a defensive crouch. Reports suggest that USA Basketball began quietly deleting or hiding posts that had become magnets for negative comments, a digital retreat that only served to validate the fans’ anger.

“They are still fighting the CC movement with everything they have,” the video commentary observed. “Instead of viewing Caitlin Clark’s enormous popularity as a fantastic opportunity, they regard it as some sort of issue.”

A History of Missed Opportunities

This latest incident is impossible to view in isolation. It reopens the scars of the 2024 Olympic snub, a decision that many argue cost the sport a golden opportunity for global exposure. At the time, even high-ranking officials like Adam Silver, the NBA Commissioner, and the head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics expressed that leaving Clark home was a missed opportunity to grow the sport.

The narrative was that Clark needed to “pay her dues” or that she didn’t fit the specific chemistry needs of the team. But as TV ratings for the Olympics dipped without her presence, and Fever games continue to shatter viewership records, the argument for excluding her has become increasingly difficult to defend.

Now, with the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, the stakes are even higher. The training camp in Durham is the first step toward building the roster that will compete on home soil in Los Angeles. By starting this cycle with another unforced error, USA Basketball has signaled that they may not have learned from the past.

“What Are We Doing Here?”

The question reverberating through the basketball community is a simple one: “What are we doing here?”

USA Basketball has a dual mandate: to win gold medals and to grow the sport. While their dominance on the court is unquestioned, their ability to maximize the cultural moment provided by Caitlin Clark receives a failing grade.

“It is not a marketing decision to omit the world’s most popular female athlete from a promotional poster; it’s a disastrous mistake,” the commentary concluded.

For Caitlin Clark, the slight is likely just another log on the fire of her competitive drive. But for the fans, and for the sport itself, it is a frustrating reminder that the “old guard” may still be struggling to accept the new reality. Caitlin Clark is the tide that lifts all boats, but only if you let her on the ship—and put her on the poster.

As the camp approaches, all eyes will be on how Clark is treated on the court. But the damage off the court has already been done. If USA Basketball wants to win over the millions of new fans Clark has brought to the yard, they need to stop hiding their biggest asset and start celebrating her. Anything less is just bad business.