Don’t count out Caitlin Clark when it comes to the USA Women’s Basketball team set to compete in the Summer Olympics at Paris. A spot could open in the coming weeks if point guard Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces continues to rehab slowly from an injured left foot.

As things stand now, Ms. Clark, the most popular player in women’s basketball, won’t be playing for gold during the Summer Olympics from July 21 through August 14, denying the sport, the WNBA, and women’s college basketball a special opportunity to expand their brands.

Ms. Clark is not among the 12 players initially invited to represent the United States when it competes at Paris. The roster is laden with players who have international experience, headed by five-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi and her Phoenix Mercury teammate Brittney Griner.

The roster also includes Ms. Gray, a surprise selection considering she hasn’t played a single game this season. She suffered a serious injury to her left foot during the 2023 WNBA Finals and has no target date for a return. If Ms. Gray isn’t ready by next month, Ms. Clark could replace her.

Though she hasn’t played this season, Ms. Gray said she expects to return at some point and hinted she is targeting the Olympics. “We’re just taking our time with it,” Ms. Gray said recently. “It’s a long season, and if I’m lucky enough to be selected for the Olympics, it’s longer.”

There’s little doubt Ms. Gray belongs on the team, if she’s healthy. She was part of the 2021 Olympic Gold Medal team and the Most Valuable Player of the WNBA Final in 2022. At age 31, she is in her 10th year in the WNBA and coming off her best season in 2023 averaging 15.3 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds.

Yet, there is no incentive to rush Ms. Gray back. The Aces, who play at Los Angeles on Sunday and host Minnesota on Tuesday, have two other star guards in Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum, who also made the Olympic Team.

Ms. Clark made a case she should be on the team. In just 12 games as a pro, she is making an impact. The No.1 overall draft pick scored 30 points to lead the Indiana Fever to an 85-83 victory over the winless Washington Mystics in Washington Friday night. A crowd of 20,333 filled the Capital One Arena. It was the largest crowd for a regular-season WNBA game since 1999 and the largest since Game 5 of the 2007 WNBA Finals between Phoenix and Detroit at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

“The crowds never get old,” Ms. Clark said after Friday’s game, before her exclusion from the Olympic Team became public. “I think at times they might have been cheering for us. It’s fun to see people in Fever gear. It’s fun to see people screaming about women’s basketball.”

Ms. Clark tied a rookie single-game record with seven 3-pointers against the Mystics and became the fastest WNBA player to reach 200 career points and 75 assists. 

Yet, the packed crowds, added attention, and being one of the top emerging scorers in the game weren’t enough to land Ms. Clark a spot on the USA Women’s Basketball team. 

Along with Ms. Taurasi, Ms. Griner, Ms. Plum, Ms. Young, and Ms. Gray, the team also includes Olympic veterans Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx, and Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm. The first-time Olympians are Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty, and Kahleah Copper of the Mercury, who all were on the American team that won the 2022 World Cup in Australia.

There was speculation early last month Ms. Clark wouldn’t be selected because she hadn’t paid her dues. It didn’t help Ms. Clark that she missed a senior team training camp while playing in the NCAA Tournament for Iowa. But her legendary college career where she became the all-time Division 1 career scoring leader, and the attention she would create at Paris, make her a strong candidate to make the national teams.

Life in the WNBA hasn’t been easy for Ms. Clark. She is averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists a game, while shooting 37.3 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from 3-point range. She’s also averaging 5.6 turnovers an outing, including four games of at least 7 turnovers.

Her WNBA peers haven’t exactly welcomed her with open arms. She has been the target of hard fouls and chatter about social and racial reasons for her popularity. “You’re starting a new chapter, a new part of your career becoming a professional athlete,” Ms. Clark said. “Not everything’s going to click overnight. Keep working and keep grinding, and it will come.”

The USA Women’s Team will train briefly at Phoenix in July followed by an exhibition game against Germany at London before heading to Paris.  The Fever (3-8) play at Connecticut on Monday.