Regardless of being one of many prime 5 scorers within the WNBA this season, Arike Ogunbowale was not among the many 12 gamers chosen for america ladies’s basketball group for the 2024 Summer time Olympics in Paris.
On Saturday evening, the Dallas Wings guard and former Notre Dame star confirmed in as emphatic of a method as she might have that her omission may need been a mistake.
Taking part in in opposition to the group she didn’t make, Ogunbowale torched Staff USA in Saturday evening’s WNBA All-Star Recreation in Phoenix, scoring a game-high 34 factors as Staff WNBA defeated the American Olympic squad 117-109. Ogunbowale’s 34 factors had been an all-star recreation document.
REQUIRED READING:Arike Ogunbowale performs spoiler to Staff USA for second straight yr at All-Star Recreation
She was not simply productive however environment friendly, making 10 of her 20 shot makes an attempt, together with a exceptional eight of 13 3-pointers. She additionally had six assists on an evening during which she had a number of highlight-reel-worthy performs.
For her efforts, she was named the all-star recreation MVP.
Whereas a lot of the controversy across the Staff USA roster has centered round Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, who additionally did not make the squad, Ogunbowale was possible the larger snub.
Heading into the WNBA all-star break, she was averaging 22.3 factors, 5.2 assists and a couple of.7 steals per recreation. She’s third amongst all WNBA gamers in scoring. Of the league’s prime six scorers, she’s the one one who didn’t make the Olympic group.
Final month, Ogunbowale stated in a podcast interview with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Gilbert Arenas that she eliminated her identify from the Staff USA participant pool “months in the past” and that there’s “politics” with the collection of the ultimate Olympic roster.
“Me being me, I simply felt the vibes,” she stated. “On the subject of (the Olympic trials), it actually doesn’t have a lot to do along with your recreation. It’s actually about who they really feel suits with the group.”
Saturday evening wasn’t the primary time Ogunbowale has balled out in opposition to Staff USA within the WNBA All-Star Recreation, both.
Within the weeks main as much as the 2020 Summer time Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, Ogunbowale scored 26 factors and earned recreation MVP honors within the WNBA All-Star Staff’s 93-85 victory in opposition to Staff USA.