As the Road to Paris narrows, Team USA Basketball's roster crystalizes, featuring a blend of Olympic veterans and newcomers ready to represent on the international stage. Among the seasoned athletes, Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasis and Brittney Griner have made the cut, sources tell AZFamily.com. The reports, still pending an official stamp, signal Taurasi's record-breaking sixth Olympic appearance and Griner's celebrated return to international play after her detention in Russia last year.
Word on the sporting street is, Taurasi, at 42, is posed to shatter basketball Olympic longevity records, according to a person familiar with the deliberations. Griner, meanwhile, will don the USA jersey for the first time since her arduous experience abroad, affirming she's keeping her talents stateside with the exception of the national team. Joining their ranks for the first time at the Olympics will be Kahleah Copper, as noted by The Washington Post.
Yet not all news comes bearing the torch of glory — notably absent from the roster is Caitlin Clark, WNBA Indiana Fever's rising star. Despite accolades and a growing fanbase, Clark missed the opportunity to attend the national training camp due to her commitment to leading Iowa to the Final Four. This conflict appears to have played a part in the USA Basketball's decision to leave her off the squad for the upcoming games in Paris.
As for the team's game plan, a brief training period in Phoenix lays the groundwork in July, before an international pit stop in London against Germany preludes their French campaign. The squad's agenda in the City of Light includes matchups with Japan, Belgium, and, once again, Germany, as reported by AZFamily.com. With the US women's team gripping every gold since the Atlanta '96 fright, expectations float high like a hopeful alley-oop pass for another net-swooshing victory.
