HIGHLIGHTS

• WNBA star Caitlyn Clark names Michael Phelps as her GOAT Olympian due to his unparalleled success with 23 gold medals.
• Other WNBA stars like Angel Reese and Brionna Jones also pick their GOAT Olympians, including Michael Jordan and Allyson Felix.
• Other iconic Olympians mentioned include Jesse Owens, Teofilo Stevenson, and Usain Bolt. Who do you think is the greatest?

WNBA superstar Caitlyn Clark has named her GOAT Olympian ahead of the 2024 Games in Paris.

The basketball phenom has taken the league by storm mere months after arriving at Indiana Fever from college team Iowa Hawkeyes with a 17.1 points per game average. Such is her skill-level, and popularity, she’s competing in the WNBA All-Star Game, and her debut has shattered ratings records.

Perhaps surprisingly considering her talent, Clark wasn’t selected to compete for the US women’s team in basketball at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris — though she is the first alternate, which means if one of the stars like Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, or Sabrina Ionescu suffered injury or withdrawal, Clark would be first to receive a call.

Regardless, she still offered her opinion when The Sporting News asked her who the GOAT Olympian is.

Michael Phelps is The GOAT

That’s according to Caitlyn Clark, who admired the swimmer’s consistent success

Nicknamed ‘The Baltimore Bullet’ and ‘Flying Fish’, Phelps was pretty much born to swim with his 6-foot-4 frame and large flipper-like feet. The prelude to all his Olympic succcess arrived in 2001 when, aged 16, he won his first major gold medal at the World Championships.

He then went on to win a total of 23 gold medals at the Olympics, spread through the 2004 Games in Athens, the 2008 Games in Beijing, the 2012 Games in London, and the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. He also three silver medals and two bronze.

“Phelps [is the GOAT],” Clark said in an instant. “I mean, the amount of gold medals he’s won — gotta go with him.”

Other WNBA Stars Also Made Their GOAT Olympian Picks

Michael Jordan got one nod

Clark wasn’t the only one to pick her Olympics GOAT.

Clark’s old rival in college hoops, who has also made a big impression in her rookie WNBA season, Angel Reese, said Michael Jordan was the GOAT. Brionna Jones, who plays ball for Connecticut Sun, said Allyson Felix — who won seven Olympic golds in track and field — was the best of the best. Then, Jackie Young and Kayla McBride both picked Simone Biles, — the extraordinary gymnast who won four gold medals in separate events at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.