Here’s a look back at the past 20 months in women’s basketball.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were college seniors and were known primarily among the upper class.
Brittney Griner was imprisoned in Russia and her life was in danger.
The New York Liberty were an afterthought to the WNBA.
Diana Taurasi was there with Sue Bird, making winks and sly jokes about when she’ll retire (OK, that’s the same thing).
One thing that has remained remarkably constant in the run-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics is the expectation that the United States will dominate the international competition, despite whispers of the situation after last weekend’s loss in a friendly against the WNBA all-star team.
As the U.S. team seeks an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal (it’s a perfect 54-0 record in Olympic games since 1996, with only two games decided by single digits), here are eight things to know about the women’s basketball tournament, which begins Sunday.
1. The U.S. team starts and ends with the superstar duo of A’ja Wilson, winner of three of the last four WNBA MVP awards (soon to be four of five), and Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, who offer a cheat code that says, “We have them, you don’t.” They can play the 4 and 5 positions and keep the U.S. team covered in terms of rebounding and rim protection, or they can move to the 3 and 4 (in a lineup with Griner) without sacrificing much of their shooting.
2. Clarke was not included, a decision that has sparked a week of debate across sports TV and cast a shadow over the games unfolding in France. Will not having the rookie phenom cost the U.S. the three-point shot or ball-handling skills? (Unlikely.) Will Clarke’s absence make them less newsworthy or visible in their quest for history? (How much remains to be seen.)
3. This is Griner’s first time overseas since being released from Russian custody. And beyond what the 6-foot-9 center will contribute on the court, the symbolism is weighty. “Hopefully, everything goes the way we want it to and the national anthem gets played,” Griner said this week. “It’s going to be a lot more emotional this time.”
Four. At 42, the legendary Taurasi will set a record by winning her sixth gold medal in the team event. And then, four more years, will she compete in her home Olympics in 2028? “Yeah, you’ll see me in LA having a beer on the beach,” she said.
Five. A few notable injuries: Starting point guard Chelsea Gray is back from a lower leg injury but still not fully recovered, and combo forward Napheesa Collier is nursing a foot injury that caused her to miss time with the Minnesota Lynx. How much time will these players be able to play?
6. Can Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu, who is having the best season of her career, break out of Team USA’s somewhat disorganized guard rotation and become a workhorse in key moments?
7. A hidden contender for the best story of the event: Liberty University coach Sandy Brondello’s Australia, perhaps the biggest threat to thwart the U.S. coronation, features center Lauren Jackson, a three-time WNBA MVP who came out of retirement at age 43.
8. Other medal contenders include Belgium, Spain, France, Canada and Japan, which won silver in Tokyo three years ago.
