SYDNEY – The USA Women’s National Team stepped on the floor at the Qudos Bank Arena here and it was a almost unrecognizable. New faces dominate this new look, younger and experienced USA roster.
The USA is the defending FIBA World Cup winners and opened their defense with a 87-72 win over Belgium. This was the same team they defeated back in the regional qualifying tournament in Washington, DC back in February. Only five members from that roster made the trek to Sydney. Missing from the DC roster are Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Natasha Howard, Dearica Hamby, Kayla McBride and Kelsey Mitchell.
This new look USA roster which averages 26.9 yrs old compared to last year’s 2021 Olympic team which clocked in at 31.3 yrs old. That’s loss of 53 year of experience just with the transition to this new team coached by Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve. Coming back from Tokyo are Ariel Atkins, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson.
New additions to this World Cup roster are Washington DC roster holdover Kelsey Plum (USA Olympic 3X3 gold medal winner), Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones. The four first time team members are Shakira Austin, Kahleah Cooper, Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney.
This is a younger, different roster with the retirement of Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles and Sylvia Fowles. Napheesa Collier and Sklyar Diggins-Smith missed this round. The world is quite familiar with the Brittney Griner saga and why she is missing from this squad.
Last night’s game against Belgium saw only nine players make the floor as Coach Reeve chose to sit out the WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces Grey, Plum and MVP Wilson. The USA jumped out 32-22 after one quarter and kept a comfortable distance the rest of the game. Surprisingly Belgian star Emma Meesseman, one of the top players in the world, went missing in this rematch with four points in 27 minutes. Last February the 6-4 forward-post let the Belgian Cats with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Team USA heads into their second game against a familiar Puerto Rico team which won it’s first game last night with a 82-58 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. After that, the USA will face their other top Group A opponent China to determine the pool winner.
NOTES: The UConn influence on the USA National Team with the retirement of Bird, Taurasi and Charles along with Collier not playing leaves only Breanna Steward as the lone Huskie. This USA Team which qualified for this FIBA World Cup as the defending champion back in 2018 now has only two years left to define its roster for the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris.
