In June, Arike Ogunbowale stated she had eliminated herself from Olympic consideration “months” earlier.
The WNBA All-Star Recreation MVP stated there was “politics” concerned. And whereas she remained imprecise on that subject earlier this week, she stated she felt like she was not “needed” on this yr’s squad.
“I do know myself and what I see, and I wasn’t feeling like they actually needed me on that staff, so I simply eliminated myself,” she stated earlier this week on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
“As a result of it’s a course of to, , hold your title within the pool and having to go to those issues [Team USA camps]. So, if I already knew and felt that I wasn’t going to be on the staff, I simply eliminated myself from that.”
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Arike Ogunbowale of Workforce WNBA dribbles throughout a sport in opposition to the U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Workforce within the 2024 WNBA All-Star Recreation July 20, 2024, at Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Ariz. (Barry Gossage/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs)
On the time, Ogunbowale stated “politics has at all times surrounded” ladies’s basketball and instructed the choice standards is inherently subjective.
“I see all of it throughout skilled sports activities. There are some nice gamers that aren’t on groups. There are some gamers that aren’t that good which might be on groups. I’m not simply particularly speaking about USA Basketball,” she added. “After I stated ‘politics’ I’m simply talking on the whole, simply clearly being concerned in basketball my complete life. I’ve been part of some issues that have been political, whether or not it was faculty, WNBA. So, I type of simply stated it like that.”
Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings throughout a sport in opposition to the Chicago Sky Might 18, 2024, on the School Park Middle in Arlington, Texas. (Michael Gonzales/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs)
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Ogunbowale stated there have been “flags and issues that I simply felt” to ultimately come to her resolution.
“They select who they need to select, and that has nothing to do with me. I’m very assured and comfy in myself and my abilities. So, whether or not I’m on the staff or not on the staff, I’m nonetheless blessed to play the sport. God has blessed me with my skills, and I’m simply going to maintain doing what I do.”
Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings drives to the basket throughout a sport in opposition to the Phoenix Mercury Might 25, 2024, at Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Ariz. (Kate Frese/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs)
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Ogunbowale earned All-WNBA honors in 2021 and 2022. She was the league’s scoring champion in 2020. She is averaging 22.3 factors per sport this season and dropped 34 factors within the All-Star Recreation Saturday.
Workforce USA performs its first sport Monday in opposition to Japan at 3 p.m. ET.
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