USA Basketball announced today the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, set to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 from July 26 to August 11. The team features 12 athletes with extensive USA Basketball experience, including Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), who will make a record sixth straight Olympic appearance, and nine athletes who have already earned at least one Olympic gold medal.
Experienced and Decorated Roster
The 2024 USA Women’s National Team includes:
- Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)
- Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)
- Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury)
- Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces)
- Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)
- Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty)
- Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm)
- Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces)
- Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)
- Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun)
- A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)
- Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces)
The team boasts a combined 15 Olympic gold medals, 18 FIBA Women’s World Cup titles, and 55 WNBA All-Star appearances. It also includes eight WNBA champions, three WNBA MVPs, and five WNBA Rookies of the Year. For just the second time in USA Basketball Women’s National Team history, every member of the Olympic Team has either an Olympic or World Cup gold medal.
Committee and Coaching Staff
The team was selected by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee, chaired by Jennifer Rizzotti, and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors. The committee includes:
- Dawn Staley (University of South Carolina)
- Bethany Donaphin (WNBA)
- Dan Padover (Atlanta Dream)
- Athlete representatives Seimone Augustus and DeLisha Milton-Jones
Head coach Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) will be assisted by Kara Lawson (Duke University), Joni Taylor (Texas A&M University), and Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics). Supporting the team as scouts are Curt Miller (Los Angeles Sparks) and Tanisha Wright (Atlanta Dream).
Notable Returnees and New Faces
Seven players, including Collier, Gray, Griner, Loyd, Stewart, Taurasi, and Wilson, return after a gold medal run at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Plum and Young, who won gold in Tokyo as members of the USA 3×3 Women’s National Team, join the roster. Members of the 2022 World Cup-winning team, Copper, Gray, Ionescu, Loyd, Plum, Stewart, Thomas, and Wilson, also join the squad.
| Player | Olympic Experience | World Cup Titles | WNBA Titles | MVP Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diana Taurasi | 5 Olympic Gold Medals | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Napheesa Collier | 1 Olympic Gold Medal | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kahleah Copper | 0 Olympic Gold Medals | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Chelsea Gray | 1 Olympic Gold Medal | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Brittney Griner | 2 Olympic Gold Medals | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Sabrina Ionescu | 0 Olympic Gold Medals | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jewell Loyd | 1 Olympic Gold Medal | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Kelsey Plum | 1 Olympic Gold Medal | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Breanna Stewart | 2 Olympic Gold Medals | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Alyssa Thomas | 0 Olympic Gold Medals | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A’ja Wilson | 1 Olympic Gold Medal | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jackie Young | 1 Olympic Gold Medal | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Upcoming Events and Games
The USA women will hold training camp in Phoenix before competing against the WNBA All-Stars in the league’s All-Star Game on Saturday, July 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC). The team will then travel to London to play the German Women’s National Team at O2 Arena on July 23 at 3 p.m. ET (FS1), as part of the 2024 USA Basketball Showcase.
Olympic Group Play
The USA women will open group play against Japan on July 29, followed by Belgium on August 1, and Germany on August 4. The U.S. has a combined 29-2 overall record against its Group C opponents.
- July 29: USA vs. Japan (3:00 p.m. ET)
- August 1: USA vs. Belgium (3:00 p.m. ET)
- August 4: USA vs. Germany (11:15 a.m. ET)
Conclusion
USA Basketball is poised to begin its quest for four Olympic gold medals this summer in Paris, aiming for an unprecedented eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in women’s basketball. The American women are determined to continue their legacy of excellence on the international stage.(Superace88)