Team USA Charts Course for History in Women’s Basketball

The United States women’s basketball team looks like the same dominant force we’ve come to know for decades.

Now, after going 3-0 in group stage play, the Americans have their sights set on history.

It’s a gold medal or bust again for the American women, who have won this competition exclusively since 1996. If Team USA wins gold in Paris, it will mark the Americans’ 10th gold medal in women’s basketball — and eighth in a row.

Gold is the standard, but this may be the best iteration of USA women’s basketball yet. We’re three games into the Paris Olympics, but the team doesn’t appear to have scratched the surface of its potential, seemingly playing at a lower register most of the time. These are just some of this team’s impressive credentials:

• Eight of the 12 players were No. 1 overall WNBA draft picks.
• Eight are WNBA champions.
• Nine already have won an Olympic gold medal.

Leading the Americans is the dynamic duo of A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, who both averaged 20.3 points per game in the group stage. It’s a treat to see these two fierce competitors as teammates instead of rivals, because the talent level is a lot to comprehend. Diana Taurasi, Napheesa Collier and Chelsea Gray fill out the star-studded starting lineup.

Imagine you’re the opposing team’s coaching staff trying to plan a defense. You double team Wilson, arguably the best player in the world right now. Who can she pass to? How about last year’s WNBA MVP, a four-time NCAA champion, two-time WNBA champ and Olympic gold medalist in Stewart. If she’s unavailable, Wilson can just sling it over to Collier, a former Rookie of the Year; Gray, a Finals MVP; or Taurasi, the greatest women’s point guard ever.

It’s hard to analyze how good this team is, because it hasn’t been challenged yet. They beat Japan, Belgium and Germany by a combined 58 points.

There was a lot of criticism when Team USA left Caitlin Clark off the roster, but fans tuning into these games will notice international basketball is a lot different than college or WNBA hoops. The referees allow more contact, leading to a faster and more physical game. Clark also lacks experience playing alongside Team USA’s stalwarts. Four years from now, a stronger, more experienced Clark likely will be one of Team USA’s leaders at the Los Angeles Olympics. For now, the current squad is plenty experienced, gritty and tough.

The starting lineup alone has an extensive history together – Wilson and Gray play together on the Las Vegas Aces. Stewart and Collier played together in college at UConn. All five won an Olympic medal together in Tokyo in 2021 and a world championship in Australia in ’22. The result is an unmatched connection and cohesion on the court. They seem to effortlessly build 20-point leads while shutting down opposing stars.

Team USA appears primed to win its 10th gold medal, with Wilson and Stewart in their primes, Taurasi in her career twilight, and the emergence of players such as Kahleah Copper and Sabrina Ionescu. The next test is slated for Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET against Nigeria.

The 2024 version of Team USA is a special one – a sublime blend of greatness and experience. We may never see a roster this flush with talent ever again.

Yet the job won’t be done until Team USA stands atop the podium in Paris on Sunday.

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