Team USA, seeking 8th consecutive gold medal, looks to build on women’s basketball legacy at Olympic Games
By Thomas Schlachter and Ben Church, CNN
(CNN) — Many athletes have to deal with an increased weight of expectation when coming into an Olympic Games – none perhaps more so than the members of the USA women’s basketball team.
And while there’s no such concept of a sure thing or a guaranteed gold medal in sports, Team USA is considered as close to one as possible.
With seven Olympic gold medals in a row, a 55-game Olympic winning streak and a roster full of incredible talent – all the pressure will be on one of sporting history’s greatest ever entities to continue its run.
“We’re a part of one of the greatest sports dynasties ever, in terms of the success,” USA women’s head coach Cheryl Reeve told reporters in the buildup to the Paris Games.
“We’re standing on this amazing culture that was built a long, long time ago and so I think we’re aware of that.”
With the record that Team USA has coming into the Games, it is hard to argue against Reeve’s assessment.
Dynasty building
But while the US comes into this Olympics with a storied legacy, Reeve believes it’s important for this current iteration to carve out its own path.
“I think it’s also really important that this journey is unique and special to this group,” Reeve explained.
“This is our first experience together and so we want to grab a hold of that and make this the best experience possible for this and, hopefully, it’s adding on to the culture that was built.”
It may be the team’s first experience together as a whole, but this roster is packed with basketball and Olympic veterans.
Seven members of Team USA have experience of winning Olympic gold in 5-on-5 basketball, with a further two victorious in Olympic 3×3 basketball.
Included in that list is its most experienced Olympian in Diana Taurasi – the winner of five Olympic gold medals and the scorer of an impressive 379 Olympic points.
The 42-year-old’s legacy at the Games speaks for itself as she prepares for her sixth Olympics, and she is showing no signs of slowing down.
“If there’s one thing you can’t escape in this country [United States], it is ageism,” Taurasi told reporters on repeatedly being asked when she will retire.
The Phoenix Mercury guard added that she’s dedicated her whole life to the sport and her experience is something that shouldn’t be seen in a negative light.
“I tell people that all the time, especially in women’s sports, in women’s professions; only a woman would have 20 years of experience and it’d be an Achilles heel, instead of something that is treasured and used as a way forward, for sport and for women,” the veteran added.
Taurasi’s experience will certainly be key in helping Team USA utilize its depth when going for an eighth consecutive gold.
Speaking at a training session in Paris, Reeve said that the USA’s biggest quality is its depth.
With the likes of three-time WNBA champion Taurasi and two-time WNBA MVPs A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, you don’t have to look far to realize how deep this strength goes.
Meanwhile, Kahleah Copper, Sabrina Ionescu and Alyssa Thomas are all making their Olympic debuts at this year’s Games but have a combined 12 WNBA All-Star appearances.
Chelsea Gray, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young all have a wealth of experience and knowhow coming into Paris and have excelled at the highest level of women’s basketball.
One obvious admission, though, is basketball superstar Caitlin Clark and the decision to leave the WNBA rookie out caused a stir back in the US.
Also returning to the team and making headlines before the Olympics is center Brittney Griner.
‘Not really afraid of anything but death’
The two-time Olympic gold medalist spent nearly 300 days in Russian custody following her detention in February 2022 and was sentenced to nine years in prison under drug-smuggling charges after authorities in the country found cannabis oil in her luggage. She previously said she would never play overseas again unless it was for Team USA.
She was released in December 2022 in a prisoner exchange with Russia.
“What [Griner] has gone through in the last couple of years is obviously unprecedented,” Taurasi said.
“For her to be able to put this jersey back on, to be at the opening ceremony last night. I’m pretty close with [Griner] and I know she feels grateful, thankful.
“The situation she was in, we don’t wish that upon anyone. So for her to be able to come back to get on that flight to come overseas, it was a big moment for her in a lot of ways.
“She is a remarkable person. I know we see her on the court as being an intimidating, dominant force. But I always say she’s the person with the biggest heart.”
Speaking before the tournament starts, Griner told reporters that she was aware of the pressure on the team, but that she’s not bothered by the expectation.
“I’m not really afraid of anything but death,” she said.
Team USA begins its hunt for yet another gold medal against Japan on Monday night Paris time, before playing Belgium and Germany in Group C.
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