The Numbers Show That Caitlin Clark's Team USA Olympics Snub Did Wonders For Her Game

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USA Basketball making one of the most egregious decisions in the history of organized sport by not including Caitlin Clark on the Olympic roster appears to have woken up a monster. 

Aside from the fact that Clark was the sole reason anyone was paying close attention to the WNBA before the Olympic break, the Indiana Fever rookie was undoubtedly playing at a level good enough to make Team USA's roster. Instead, USA Basketball went to Paris without her and the vast majority of sports fans and new WNBA fans didn't watch the American squad win gold.

With the WNBA going on a pause for the Olympics, Clark had a three-week break from basketball instead of heading to Paris. 

"I honestly can’t wait to not touch a basketball for a while," Clark said, excited about her first legitimate break from the sport since March Madness earlier this year.

The break away from the sport, not picking up a basketball for a few days, and playing plenty of golf, turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the former Iowa star.

Prior to the Olympic break, the Fever were just 11-15 on the year and on the outside looking in in terms of the WNBA playoffs. Fast forward to today, and the Fever have already clinched a spot in the postseason having gone 7-1 since returning to action.

Social media users showered Caitlin Clark with praise after an incredible performance against the Los Angeles Sparks. (Credit: Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark has been putting on a show in the WNBA since being snubbed from Team USA's Olympic roster. (Credit: Getty Images)

Clark, of course, has been the main culprit behind the Fever's big-time push.

Prior to the WNBA going on pause, Clark was averaging 17.1 points per game while shooting 39.6% from the field. In the eight games since the season resumed, Clark is averaging a whopping 24.5 points per contest while shooting 47.8% from the field. 

If those numbers don't paint a clear enough picture that a break from the game did Clark nothing but good, her effort on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Sparks certainly will. 

In 40 minutes of action, Clark recorded her second triple-double of the season with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. 

Over the course of her WNBA career of just 34 games, Clark has become the first WNBA rookie to record two triple-doubles in a season, the first Indiana Fever player to ever record a triple-double, secure the WNBA single-season rookie record for both three-pointers and assists, and achieve the WNBA single-game record for assists.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.