USA Basketball Women’s National Team taps 18 players for December training camp in North Carolina

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The first set of preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics are in sight for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team.

It was announced 18 players will participate in a training camp set for Dec. 12-14 at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Experience will be on the side of the Americans.

The camp will feature 2024 Olympic gold medalists Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. Dearica Hamby won a 3×3 bronze medal at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Aliyah Boston, who has represented the USA in various junior and senior competitions and camps, is also expected in Durham.

Ten players will make their senior national team camp debuts including Lauren Betts, Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, Veronica Burton, Sonia Citron, Caitlin Clark, Kiki Iriafen, Rickea Jackson, Angel Reese and JuJu Watkins.

Betts, Boston, Burton, Jackson and Reese have competed in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, while Betts, Boston, Brink, Bueckers, Citron, Clark and Watkins own gold medals from various junior competitions.

Iriafen will make her USA Basketball debut in Durham.

A number of players also feature 3×3 experience, including Olympic medalists Plum (2021, Gold), Young (2021, Gold) and Hamby, World Cup gold medalist Brink (2023) and AmeriCup medalists Burton (2022, silver), Hamby (2023, gold) and Jones (2021, gold). Boston, Bueckers and Jackson also have played for USA Basketball in 3×3 junior competitions.

USA  head coach Kara Lawson (Duke University) will lead training camp. She will be assisted by court coaches Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury) and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever).

USA managing director Sue Bird will evaluate players prior to naming a team for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, which will take place from Sept. 4-13, 2026, in Berlin. The USA is seeking their fifth consecutive World Cup gold medal.

Check out the full roster.

— From USA Basketball Communications