I went over to a college buddy’s house last night to watch Game 2 of the NBA Finals. And at some point during the second quarter, my friend offered his opinion on USA Basketball’s controversial decision to leave Caitlin Clark off the Olympics roster. He thought it was an abject mistake—a view consistent with much of the punditocracy, who want to see Clark rewarded for her impact on the sport, even if her WNBA debut has not matched the hype. On the bright side, I reminded him, Clark’s impact on the sport has been profound in ways both quantifiable (the WNBA set attendance and TV records in May) and cultural. To wit: I can’t remember the last time a women’s basketball roster omission became national news.