Although a lot of the buzz regarding the United States women’s basketball team revolved around who didn’t make the cut, the next few weeks will be all about putting together an eighth consecutive gold-medal winning run at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The roster is familiar with one another from spending time in the Team USA system and the fact that 10 of the dozen members come from three WNBA franchises and are teammates. Only Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier and Seattle’s Jewell Loyd are the sole representatives of their teams.
Team USA fell to Team WNBA in the All-Star Game on Saturday, 117-109, generating concerns over the team’s poor defensive execution. Following an exhibition match against Germany in London on Tuesday, the team begins group play against 2020 Silver medalist Japan on July 29. The U.S. team has been placed in Group C alongside Belgium, Germany and Japan.
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DraftKings' odds to win 2024 Olympics women’s basketball gold medal
Here are DraftKings' odds to win women's basketball gold in Paris. Alongside the United States (C -3500), Spain (A -155) and Australia (B +110) are favored to win their groups.
Odds of -1800 imply a 94.7% chance of winning gold.
- United States -1800
- Australia +2200
- Spain +2200
- Belgium +3000
- France +3000
- Japan +3000
- Canada +3500
- China +3500
- Serbia +8000
- Germany +10000
- Puerto Rico +15000
- Nigeria +20000
USA women’s Olympics basketball odds and analysis
WNBA All-Star Game MVP Arike Ogunbowale and top rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese not making the final roster speaks volumes of how deep the talent pool is for U.S. women’s basketball. The national program last failed to win Olympic gold in 1992, falling in the semifinals to the Unified Team (former Soviet Union) and ultimately winning bronze. It has since won seven straight gold medals and is undefeated since that loss 32 years ago, arriving with a 70-3 all-time Olympic record.
Seven players are back from the 2020 team, which went 6-0 and won all of its contests by at least nine points. All five players who started for Team USA against Team WNBA last Saturday participated in Tokyo. New head coach Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) was an assistant under Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley at the last two Games. Diana Taurasi is setting a record by participating in her sixth Olympic Games in women’s basketball, and she is the most decorated athlete ever in this sport.
Collier is an x-factor, having played in the last Olympics but coming into these Games having been inactive since July 4, outside of playing three minutes last Saturday, in an attempt to heal from plantar fasciitis. Her size and versatility are major assets behind starters A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart up front. At 6-foot-9, center Britney Griner is the tallest member of the team, while guard Kelsey Plum (5-foot-8) is the shortest. Veterans Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd are expected to form the starting backcourt.
BetMGM reports that 99.99 percent of its handle is on the Americans, with the remaining 0.01 percent on Germany. 90 percent of tickets are on the USA, which opened at +1000 and is its biggest liability.
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Top contenders and longshots for 2024 Olympics women’s basketball tournament gold medal
This looks like the USA's gold medal to win, but here's a look at teams that could surprise:
Australia
The Aussies are loaded up front. Rebecca Allen, Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor all play large roles on their WNBA teams and are strong two-way players. Legend Lauren Jackson, a 6-foot-5 center and 3-time WNBA MVP, has come out of retirement to participate alongside Stephanie Talbot. Kristy Wallace, Jade Melbourne and Sami Whitcomb also play in the W and will handle the guard spots alongside captain Tess Madgen. New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello is back as the mastermind, looking to help guide her country to its first medal since winning bronze in 2012.
Spain
Spain was ousted in the quarterfinals four years ago after winning silver in the 2016 Rio Games. Aces forward Megan Gustafson is the lone WNBA player on the roster, but this group has won medals in six of the last seven Eurobaskets, claiming gold three times. Joining Gustafson up front is Alba Torrens, one of the best players in the nation’s history, veteran star Laura Gil, and former FSU standout Laura Conde. Maite Cazorla, who spent a season with the Atlanta Dream and played in the Final Four with Oregon, runs the point. Ex-FSU/K-State guard Leticia Romero, who spent a season with the Dallas Wings, lines up at guard.
France
The host French got stuck in the “Group of Death” alongside Australia, Canada and Nigeria, so they’ll be tested before the knockout stages. Guard Marine Johannes has thrived with the WNBA’s Liberty but opted to play in France this season and teams with clubmate Marine Fauthoux in the backcourt. Leila Lacan, a young point guard selected 10th by Connecticut in this past draft, is also an asset. 6-foot-6 18-year-old Dominique Malonga has been called the female Victor Wembanyama by Tony Parker and should be a top pick in next year’s draft. Nevada native Gabby Williams, who will be a prized free agent following these games, and center Iliana Rupert, key the French frontcourt.
Canada
If they can survive their group, the Canadians have an opportunity to medal. Every player has WNBA or NCAA ties, including top 2024 recruit Syla Swords, who signed with Michigan and will be the youngest player in the nation’s Olympic history at 18. She’ll back up Nirra Fields and the L.A. Sparks’ Kia Nurse in the backcourt. Up front, Bridget Carlton and Aaliyah Edwards can play with anybody, while centers Natalie Achonwa and Kayla Alexander have both been around for over a decade and have excelled at every level.
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