A humorous prank by a fan from Japan appeared to grab the attention of several Team USA women’s basketball players prior to their Olympic match in Paris.
Dressed in a half-and-half Brooklyn Nets/Los Angeles Lakers jersey, the fan displayed a sign reading ‘You need Caitlin Clark to beat us’.
This sign caught the eye of several players on the court, notably A’ja Wilson.
Wilson’s reaction prompted her teammate Brittany Griner to respond with a straightforward ‘Oh wow’ after noticing the sign.
The absence of Clark from the Olympic roster continues to spark debate, even as Team USA demonstrated they could perform without her.
Brittney Griner and A’ja Wilson react to a fan holding a pro-Caitlin Clark sign at the Olympics
The fan held up a sign that read ‘you need Caitlin Clark to beat us’ before their game with Japan
Team USA cruised to a dominant victory over Japan without WNBA star Caitlin Clark in Paris
This was highlighted on Monday, as the women’s team showcased their strength by defeating Japan with a score of 102-76 in their first group stage match.
Wilson topped the score sheet with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists, while Breanna Stewart added 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
Griner contributed eleven points off the bench, along with nine rebounds.
Both Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum also scored eleven points, achieving this in 20 and 14 minutes of play respectively.
Japan’s standout was Maki Takada, who scored 24 points despite the team struggling with a low shooting percentage of just 38% from the floor.
Team USA’s next match is scheduled for Thursday against Belgium, who recently faced defeat with an 83-69 loss to Germany.
