Nearly two years after the debate first erupted across the basketball world, Lisa Leslie remains steadfast in her belief that Team USA made a critical mistake by leaving Caitlin Clark off the 2024 Olympic roster. The WNBA legend and Hall of Famer appeared on ESPN's "First Take" on Thursday, doubling down on her stance with the same conviction she's held since day one.

"I don't know how we left the country without her," Leslie said during the segment, revisiting what has become one of the most polarizing discussions in women's basketball history.

While Team USA ultimately captured gold in Paris, the conversation around Clark's omission has only grown louder with time. Leslie's comments weren't driven by controversy for its own sake—they reflected the seismic shift Clark brought to women's basketball the moment she stepped into the league.

Clark arrived from the University of Iowa carrying unprecedented momentum after a record-breaking college career. As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she joined the Indiana Fever and immediately transformed the league's landscape. Attendance numbers soared, television ratings hit historic highs, and opposing arenas sold out whenever the Fever came to town.

For Leslie, that kind of impact couldn't be ignored when considering Olympic representation. The Sparks legend explained that Clark "moved the needle" for women's basketball in ways the sport had rarely experienced before. While acknowledging that Clark may not have fully earned a roster spot through traditional experience metrics at that point, Leslie still believes the young superstar deserved a place on the Olympic team.

The original decision sparked intense debate that went far beyond basketball ability. Many argued that Clark's inclusion would have elevated the global visibility of the women's game to unprecedented heights—an opportunity Leslie still believes was missed.