USA Basketball names 12-member women’s roster for Paris
USA Basketball announced a veteran roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics, boasting a squad where each member has at least an Olympics or World Cup gold medal.
The Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi was named to her sixth Olympics, with 38 Olympics basketball games to her credit, the most of any women’s player in USA Basketball history. She is second in Olympics points scored (414) behind Lisa Leslie (488).
The team, which consists entirely of players from the WNBA, also includes Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces), Brittney Griner (Mercury), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Plum (Aces), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun), A’ja Wilson (Aces) and Jackie Young (Aces).
Cheryl Reeve is the head coach of the team, after serving as an assistant coach the past two Olympics under Geno Auriemma (2016) and Dawn Staley (2020).
“We were supposed to be giving Cheryl a team that has experience and familiarity with international competition, familiarity with the coaching system, leadership abilities, versatility, depth at every position,” national team committee chair Jen Rizzotti told The Athletic. “The 12 that we selected, we felt were the best when it boiled down to a basketball decision.”
Not included was collegiate star Caitlin Clark, who took Iowa to the Final Four in consecutive seasons and is in her rookie WNBA season with the Indiana Fever.
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