“Bites The Hand That Feeds Them” – Caitlin Clark, Team USA Players Called Out Over National Anthem Antics Following World Cup Win

Caitlin Clark and her United States teammates defeated France in the FIBA World Cup championship game.

“Bites The Hand That Feeds Them” – Caitlin Clark, Team USA Players Called Out Over National Anthem Antics Following World Cup Win

Team USA Women's Basketball after winning the FIBA World Cup (Image credits - CT Insider)

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and the United States women’s basketball team are at the top of the basketball world. They silenced their critics and doubters with a dominant 97-79 victory over France in the finals of the FIBA World Cup in Germany on Sunday.

Just like some of their games in the tournament, they started slow once again in the championship game. France raced off to an early 14-point lead. However as they always do, USA found a way back and cut the deficit to just two points at the end of the first half.

In the second half, USA blew their opponents as they ended the third quarter with a 16-point lead. France tried to show some fight, but did not stand a chance against USA, who went on to claim their fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup.

After receiving the trophy, the players celebrated and danced on the podium. It was USA’s 12th FIBA World Cup trophy.

Heading into the final, USA had their share of critics and some even saw France as strong contenders who are capable of causing an upset. While the team showed no signs of nerves from tip-off, they were not able to hold on to their momentum after halftime.

Caitlin Clark came under criticism after her poor game against Italy. The former number one pick saw herself coming off the bench which sparked a lot of reactions from her fans. On Sunday, she played just 13 minutes and recorded 12 points and three assists.

USA were unbeaten throughout the tournament but they did look beatable in some games. But in the end, the US still had more talent than any other team competing on the world stage.

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The internet calls out Caitlin Clark and Team USA for National Anthem antics

It was a moment of celebration for the US women’s team after their incredible achievement. Unfortunately, some of the spotlight fell on “their National Anthem antics”.

Poor body language during the National Anthem has remained a talking point even in the NBA for a while now. Victor Wembanyama was criticized for crossing his arms during the anthem a few months ago. It appears that Team USA is suffering the same fate after their victory.

Following their celebrations, several people took to social media and called out the players for their poor antics during the anthem.

Many were left disappointed that Clark and her teammates were not “respectful” to the national anthem when it was being played. The incident remains widely debated on social media.

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Caitlin Clark flames at a reporter doubting her friendship with Angel Reese

Both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are the two biggest names in the WNBA. Both players were drafted in 2024.

The Indiana Fever picked Clark as the number one pick, while Reese was drafted by the Chicago Sky as the seventh overall pick. Since then, they have been the biggest draws and WNBA fans have often pitted the two against each other.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese (Image credits – Yahoo Sports)

Both players have been labeled as rivals in the WNBA. Hence, when a reported asked Clark if they are friends now, she responded:

We’ve always been friends. Don’t try to do that.

Caitlin Clark to the reporter

Both Clark and Reese were playing in their first World Cup and came off the bench. They were praised for their chemistry on the court as they led the second-unit players for USA.

However, they will have to put their friendship aside when the WNBA resumes as both players get ready for the playoffs.

The WNBA marketed their rivalry from their rookie season to today and it remains to be seen if they face off against each other in the playoffs this year.

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