COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In the end, the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s National Team went with experience for the Olympic Games Paris that tip-off next month.
Today USA Basketball announced the team, which will compete at the Olympic Games from July 26 to Aug. 11, that is highlighted by 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.
The USA women are seeking their eighth straight– and 10th overall – Olympic gold medal.
The squad has a combined 15 Olympic gold medals, 18 FIBA Women’s World Cup titles and 55 WNBA All-Star appearances. The team also boasts eight WNBA champions, three WNBA MVPs and five WNBA Rookies of the Year. For just the second time in history of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team program, every member of the Olympic Team has either an Olympic or World Cup gold medal (2012).
In addition to Taurasi, the squad includes 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) and Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces).
A majority of the roster were players that were featured in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school girls’ rankings within the last 15 years.
“On behalf of USA Basketball, I’m excited to announce the 2024 USA Women’s National Team,” USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee chair Jen Rizzotti said. “We have selected a team that we are confident will represent our country to the highest standard in Paris. Basketball in the United States boasts unparalleled depth, making this a challenging and competitive process. The commitment these athletes have shown to USA Basketball is unmatched and I look forward to watching them take on the World in Paris.”
The team was selected by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors. In addition to Rizzotti, the committee includes Dawn Staley (University of South Carolina), Bethany Donaphin (WNBA) and Dan Padover (Atlanta Dream), as well as athlete representatives Seimone Augustus and DeLisha Milton-Jones.
USA Women’s National Team 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). The coaching staff, who together led the USA to a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup, was selected by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee.
Additionally, Curt Miller (Los Angeles Sparks) and Tanisha Wright (Atlanta Dream) will be supporting the team as scouts. Both Miller and Wright have been past court coaches for the USA Women’s National Team training camps, and Miller was an assistant coach at the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament and for the USA’s college exhibition wins last fall.
“This roster features some of the best basketball talent our country has to offer and I’m excited to lead this team with the goal of winning an eighth straight Olympic gold medal in Paris,” Reeve said. “I’m looking forward to getting together in Phoenix and starting the journey to Paris.”
In total, USA Basketball will be represented by four teams in Paris, including 5-on-5 men and women and 3×3 men and women. The USA are reigning Olympic champions in 5-on-5 men and women and 3×3 women, with 3×3 men set to make their Olympic debut this summer.
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.
The American women open group play against Japan on July 29 (3:00 p.m. ET), followed by Belgium on Aug. 1 (3:00 p.m. ET) and Germany on Aug. 4 (11:15 a.m. ET). The U.S. has a combined 29-2 overall record against its Group C opponents. This is the second straight Olympics USA is grouped with Japan and marks the first time the U.S. will face Belgium and Germany at the Games.
–From USA Basketball Communications
