In a major development, USA Basketball Women’s Minicamp revealed the lineup of 18 players selected for a crucial February minicamp at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, aiming for spots on the Olympic roster. Notable names include 2023 WNBA Finals MVP A’ja Wilson, alongside Las Vegas Aces’ Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young, who contributed to the WNBA championship. Breanna Stewart, the Regular-season MVP, will join Liberty teammates Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Sabrina Ionescu, making the camp a star-studded event.
The announcement comes with less than 200 days remaining until the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris, and the selected athletes are eager to represent the United States. The women’s national team has already secured a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympics but will participate in the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp, Belgium. This tournament includes competitive teams like Nigeria, Senegal, and host nation Belgium, with additional qualifiers scheduled in China, Hungary, and Brazil.
The 18-player roster for the February minicamp will compete for positions on the 12-player roster for the upcoming qualifying tournament, a crucial step toward finalizing the Olympic roster. Jennifer Rizzoti, USA Basketball women’s national team committee chair, emphasized the significance of the training camp and the upcoming qualifying tournament, where the players will face world-class talent.
The minicamp features a stellar lineup, including 11 Olympians and nine members of the 2022 FIBA World Cup championship team. Notable players like Diana Taurasi, a five-time gold medalist, and rising stars Aliyah Boston, Rhyne Howard, and Arike Ogunbowale will be part of the camp. Head coach Cheryl Reeve will be assisted by current WNBA head coaches Tanisha Wright, Curt Miller, and Washington Mystics general manager Mike Thibault.
With an eye on an unprecedented eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal, USA Basketball Women’s Minicamp continues its quest, with automatic qualification for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles already secured.
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