There's so much to be miserable about in the world these days. But there are also things that give me great joy, the Olympics at hand, and any time I can watch women's basketball. So herewith, for my fellow wbb fans and every-four-years curiosity seekers alike, my
Olympics Team USA women's basketball preview!
From one of the
truly inspirational figures in sports Dawn Staley, to
ESPY Female Athlete of the Year Diana Taurasi, the US national women's basketball team cuts across the generations wherein wbb has emerged from the shadows.
Here's the roster:
Lisa Leslie LA Sparks C
Tina Thompson Houston Comets F
Yolanda Griffith Sacramento Monarchs C/F
Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever F
Swin Cash Detroit Shock F
Sue Bird Seattle Storm G
Shannon Johnson San Antonio Silver Stars G
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury G
Ruth Riley Detroit Shock C
Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets F/G
Dawn Staley Charlotte Sting G
Katie Smith Minnesota Lynx G/F
The Olympics interrupt the WNBA season, which, 3/4 of the way through the schedule, now has gone on a month hiatus. Because of the WNBA schedule, USA Basketball and Houston Comets head coach Van Chancellor has been forced to pull together the team on the fly. There was a spring training camp and tour in March and April in which this roster was selected, but they have only been playing together as a unit for less than two weeks.
This is however, probably the finest assemblage of talent women's basketball has ever seen. They made quick work of France 68-38, and Spain, 77-61 in a two-day tournament in Salamanca that's just wrapped up. The lack of familiarity as a unit showed with 19 TOs in the first game, and 14 in the second. The team is also at less than full strength, high-scoring guard Katie Smith (third in WNBA career scoring) has been out with a knee injury, and the incomparable Sheryl Swoopes has been playing hobbled with an injury (foot?) Additionally, Detroit Shock center and former Notre Dame star Ruth Riley was a late fill in when LA Sparks forward Delisha Milton-Jones was injured in a WNBA game.
Team USA will be in the much weaker Group B in pool play. The Czech team, and perhaps the Chinese who recently through a scare into Australia, are the most significant opposition in the group. However, in a case of cutting off their nose to spite their face, the Czechs refused to allow Seattle Storm starting center Kamila Vodichkova join the team because she chose to play in the WNBA.
On the other side, Group A powers include: Brazil, whose star, former Houston Comets guard Janeth Arcain, wno stayed home rather than play in the WNBA in order to be on the national team; Russia, always strong, home of one of the better European leagues that many US players play in during the WNBA off-season, and felt so strong they didn't need to add former UConn star and current Minnesota Lynx Svetlana Abrosimova due to her recent injury problems; and most likely gold-medal round matchup, Australia's "Price Attack Opals", led by 2003 WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, former WNBA all-star Penny Taylor, and to other WNBA veterans, Sandy Brondello and Kristi Harrower. The question needs to be asked, if it's a USA-Australia final, does Loz Jackson pull out Lisa Leslie's hairweave again? (get the story here at 4. Round two: Lisa vs. Lauren)
As a fan of UConn wbb, it's a special treat to be able to see Sue Bird, Swin Cash, and Diana Taurasi, stars of the greatest women's college basketball team of all time, the 2002 Huskies (Lady Vol fans are now free to troll-rate!), playing together again. With the short training period, Chancellor has decided to play the three together a good portion of the time due to their familiarity with one another. (Now there's a pragmatist I can whole-heartedly endorse!)
Putting on my WNBA Detroit Shock fan hat, I'm delighted that Big Ruth made the team, but the 2003 Playoffs MVP and leader of the only team to win a NCAA Div I championship this century other than the Huskies hasn't been playing all that well this year in the W. That's IMO the principal reason that last year's WNBA champs are struggling to stay in playoff contention, aided only by the almost ridiculous parity in the league's Eastern Conference, where only two games divide first and last place at the break.
For Swoopes and Staley, this may well be their last Olympics. The two have been nothing but class throughout their careers, and both are after their third Olympic gold medal. Lisa Leslie is also well over 30 now, but she shows no sign of slowing down, and may well be around for another cycle.