Caitlin Clark, Rhyne Howard and the other rising stars of U.S. women's basketball

Women’s college basketball player Caitlin Clark has taken the basketball world by storm. Playing in sold out stadiums, Clark recently broke the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record on Thursday. She led her Iowa Hawkeyes to the NCAA Final Four last March, and they are now 23-3 and ranked fourth in the Associated Press poll.

The United States secured a quota in women’s basketball in 2022, when they won the FIBA World Cup. As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.

The U.S. team will be picked by a committee of basketball coaches and recently retired players. The team is chosen from a pool of players who have participated in USA Basketball events, like the team’s exhibition games with college teams in November, and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp in early February. The pool includes veterans such as Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, and WNBA MVPs A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. But will young stars like Caitlin Clark be on the team?

Caitlin Clark

On 15 February, Clark broke the NCAA scoring record previously held by Olympic gold medalist Kelsey Plum. She can shoot from anywhere on the court and has the ability to take over games. Clark is averaging 32.8 points per game, leading the NCAA, and her Iowa Hawkeyes lead the NCAA in scoring with 92.7 points per game. However, she has not participated in any of the recent USA Basketball events, where players who are usually going against each other in the WNBA get to know each other and learn how to play together.

Clark’s last appearance on a USA Basketball team was in 2021 when she helped the American U19 team to gold. She can still be added to the pool if USA Basketball decides to, but she also could keep her focus on her college season, and then decide if she wants to jump to the WNBA this year or next.

While Clark may not be part of Team USA's plans just yet, there are plenty of other young stars already playing for USA Basketball and in the WNBA. Here are two you should know.

Rhyne Howard

At just 23, Rhyne Howard showed she can be counted on in international play at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp. She played efficiently, averaging 19.5 points per game in just 16.5 minutes per game. Most importantly, Howard put her adaptability on display, and was named to the All-Tournament team.

Aliyah Boston

In 2023, Aliyah Boston led her college team, the South Carolina Gamecocks, to the NCAA Final Four. Just weeks later, she was picked first in the WNBA draft and then went on to win the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year. In November, she was added to the USA Basketball pool, playing in November’s exhibition games and the WOQT in Antwerp. Though she didn’t score the way she has in the WNBA, the confidence she gained while playing with Team USA will be vital going forward as she continues to grow as a player.

Two NCAA freshmen have been making waves this season. While they’re unlikely to be on the 2024 Olympic team, keep an eye on these rising stars in the future - particularly with a home Games looming in Los Angeles in 2028.

Juju Watkins

Playing for the University of Southern California, Juju Watkins has incredible scoring ability. She is averaging 27.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and it’s her first year playing collegiate ball. She’s been named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week and Player of the Week three times, putting her in the same category as fellow Trojan Tina Thompson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Hannah Hidalgo

In her very first game playing for Notre Dame, Hannah Hidalgo scored 30 points, playing against top-ranked South Carolina in November. She hasn’t slowed down since then, averaging 24.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 5.0 steals per game. Not only can she score, she can also disrupt on defense.