Caitlin Clark did not let the disappointment of being left out of the US Olympic squad dampen her spirits as she confided in Christie Sides. Despite her glittering profile in basketball, the 22-year-old was passed over for the final team for the Olympic Games in Paris, where the US side won gold, beating France in the final.

But the WNBA star demonstrated resilience, turning the snub into a catalyst for motivation, according to her now ex-coach at Indiana Fever. Sides recalled the moment Clark received the news, disclosing the inspiring exchange that took place on the team bus.

“We talked actually on the bus. She got the call on the bus and she text me to let me know. I just tried to keep her spirits [up],” Sides said, per Fastbreak.

Sides couldn’t hide her admiration when she recalled Clark’s fierce message: “The thing she said was, ‘Hey coach, they woke a monster’, which I thought was awesome.”

Sides expressed her natural disappointment at Clark’s Olympic exclusion, adding: “Yeah, a little disappointed, of course. She’s my player. That’s the hardest team in the world to make. That’s a tough team. She’s young, she’s gonna have so many opportunities in the future.”

Despite being cut from the team, Clark graciously said: “I’m excited for the girls that are on the team. I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could’ve gone either way me being on the team, me not being on the team.

“So I’m excited for them. I’m gonna be rooting for them to win gold. I was a kid who grew up watching the Olympics, so, yeah, it’ll be fun watching them.”

Clark will soon be working under a new coach following the dismissal of Sides, who was let go despite taking Indiana to their first postseason since 2016. The Fever were part of the playoffs as the sixth seed but got eliminated straight away by Connecticut Sun, raising questions about Sides’ ability to fully utilise their marquee player – even if she did always have her back.

Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said: “We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth.

“While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana. Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future.”