The Casual Fan's Guide to the 2024 US Women's Basketball Team

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It’s official! The US Women’s Basketball Olympic team was announced today. Now, this has been in the news for the past couple of days due to reasons, but instead of talking about that, I think it’s important we talk about why we should be excited to pull for this team in Paris. Specifically, the players! 

As the game has grown globally, other countries have assembled competitive women’s basketball programs. While the United States squad should still be the favorite to win the gold, winning isn’t something we can take for granted. The Olympic Committee knows that, and put together a roster that should give us our best chance to continue our dominance. Let’s talk about it! 

Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun/1st 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

There’s been a lot of talk, rightfully so, about the physicality of the international game. I can’t think of a single player better suited for such a style than AT. You see it in her defense (2023 1st Team All-Defense), rebounding (currently 4th in the W at 10.4 RPG), and ability to muscle her way to the basket (52% of her field goal attempts this season have come from within 3 feet of the hoop). 

But her game is more than just brute strength. Alyssa is one of the best playmakers in the world and leads the WNBA with 8.5 APG. Whether in transition or in the half-court, if you’re open, she’s going to find you. This is especially crucial for a team that is heavy on scoring but lighter on playmakers the way this one figures to be based on what we know about their playing styles. Having a power forward who can also be a primary playmaker should create matchup nightmares for opposing squads. 

A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces/2nd 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

We’re at the point in A’ja Wilson’s career where we can start talking about her resume in terms of whether or not she can finish her career as the GOAT. Rookie of the Year, 2-time MVP, 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, and 2-time WNBA champion in 6 full seasons is one hell of a start. What’s scary for opponents is that she’s somehow taken it to another level this season. 

A quarter of the way into the season, A’ja is putting up an absurd 28.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 3 BPG, 2.6 APG, and 1.9 SPG. We have a long way to go, but she’s on the path to threatening both the single-season PPG record (25.3 by Diana Taurasi in 2006) AND the RPG record (11.9 by Sylvia Fowles in 2018). I have yet to find an aspect of the game that she doesn’t impact in the most positive way possible. Simply put, she’s the best player in the world. Her 16.5 PPG last Olympics tied for the team lead with Brittney Griner. 

Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty/3rd 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

You’d be hard-pressed to find another player who can do all of the things on a basketball court as well as Stewie can. This level of skill and versatility is why she’s been a top 3 player in the WNBA since 2018. She’s 6’4” with the ability to score inside and outside as well as make plays. While her game is aesthetically pleasing, she doesn’t shy away from the dirty work either and led the 2021 US Olympic team with 10 RPG. 

With the wingspan of a condor (7’1”!), she’s able to disrupt things on defense as well. She’s averaged at least 2.5 stocks (steals and blocks) per game each of her 8 seasons in the W. Each country presents a unique set of matchups, so having a player like Stewie who is both willing and capable of doing so many different things at a high level will help to set this team apart. 

Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury/3rd 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

If there were any questions about why Griner is on this team, she answered them in her 2nd game back from injury against the Dallas Wings. The Wings feature three of the tallest players in the league in Teaira McCowan, Kalani Brown, and Stephanie Soares, and none of them were able to bother the 6’9” Griner, who finished with 24 points, 9 boards, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. 

As much as basketball has changed, you still need a dominant post player if you want to win, and she’s exactly that. And, as the only traditional post on the roster, they need her to be. 

Her size and skill gave teams hell last Olympic Games as she put up a ridiculous 16.5 PPG (on a hilarious 69% from the field), 7.2 RPG, and 1.5 BPG in just 22 MPG. With plenty of time to work herself back into basketball shape before the Olympics start, I wouldn’t be shocked if she’s able to come close to those numbers again. 

Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces/2nd 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

If there were any doubts about Chelsea being the best PG in the game, look no further than the Aces’ struggles without her. It’s also Exhibit A in how important a point guard is to any team’s success. Even without Gray, Las Vegas is one of the most talented teams in the W, but their offense can quickly get jammed up without their floor general. 

Gray is expected to recover in time for the start of the Olympics. Last season, she averaged a career-high points per game AND assists per game. Her passing is the story because of how utterly incredible it is. She’ll be dribbling up the court and next thing you know one of her teammates is laying the ball in the hoop while you try to figure out if you hallucinated the entire sequence. 

Chelsea can also create for herself. She can use her strength to get into the paint or knock down shots from the outside. She’s also a fearless competitor who shines the brightest come crunch time. I can’t imagine she would have been selected if the Olympic Committee had any doubts about her return, so it’s merely a question of how long it’ll take her to return to form. 

Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury/6th 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

Diana will break the record for most Olympic appearances by a women’s basketball player as well as become the oldest Olympic basketball player ever (42) when she takes the court in Paris. How much time she’ll get remains to be seen, but if I know anything about DT, she’ll be ready to go when her number is called. 

She certainly isn’t at the peak of her powers anymore, but there’s more left in the tank than I thought there’d be heading into the season. She can still score points in a hurry and already has 3 games of 6+ made 3s so far this season. That ability to heat up quickly will come in handy in a situation where nobody gets the minutes that they’re used to getting. 

Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces/1st 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

We’ve already talked about the physicality of the international game, and here’s yet another player who will be dishing out more blows than they take. Jackie could very well be the most jacked and well-conditioned Olympic basketball player to represent our country since Ruthie Bolton. Because of this, she’s one of the toughest guards to defend in the paint and one of the best rebounders at her position in the W.

Offensively, her game has grown year after year. When she gets her feet set, she makes opposing defenses pay from 3. This will open up drives for both her and the rest of Team USA. She’s taken over point guard duties for the Aces in Chelsea Gray’s absence and displayed the playmaking skills we saw from her at Notre Dame. With Gray being the only traditional point guard on the roster and her status still being uncertain, Jackie will provide another option for this squad to handle non-Gray point guard minutes. 

Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm/2nd 5x5 Olympic Appearance) 

They don’t call her the “Gold Mamba” for nothing. Loyd, who holds the WNBA single-season record for total points, is a certified bucket. She’s a threat from any and every spot on the court. Being surrounded by so much talent should only open things up even more for her to not only score but contribute in other ways too. 

During the Storm’s 2020 title run with Breanna Stewart as the #1 option, Loyd did just that. Not only was she still scoring in bunches (17.8 PPG on 55% from the field and 39% from 3 in the playoffs), but she also contributed 5 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 1.3 SPG. We’ve seen this more well-rounded Loyd return with the Storm’s addition of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike as she’s averaging a career-high 6.5 RPG and 3.5 APG. So expect the scoring, but I’m willing to bet she brings more to the table as well. 

Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury/1st 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

We have very quickly gone from “All-Star Kahleah Copper” to “Superstar Kahleah Copper.” The 2021 WNBA Finals MVP had an impressive season last year as she stepped into the starring role for the Chicago Sky. If that was the version of Copper the Phoenix Mercury got after trading for her in the offseason, they would have been more than pleased. Incredibly, she leveled up once again.

In just 12 games, she has already scored 30+ points four times. She has turned herself into one of the better 3-point shooters in the W, but her main offensive weapon is her elite ability as a slasher. Kah is also one of the most intense competitors in a league full of intense competitors and brings that attitude to both ends of the court. Her experience of playing many different roles over the course of her career should allow her to thrive in this environment. 

Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces/1st 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

With the way international defense is played, you can never have enough elite shot-creators. Few guards can create shots as consistently as KP. When she gets defenders on an island, she’s almost always going to get the shot she wants. As a career 39% 3-point shooter, she’s going to provide much-needed spacing for her bigs to operate in the post. She also has the strength and handle to get to the rim herself and finish. 

While she is most comfortable operating as a scorer, she’s also able to create for others. I wouldn’t expect extended minutes for her at the point, but she can certainly fill in for brief spells. She’s well on her way to averaging at least 4.5 APG for the 3rd consecutive year. Keep an eye out for how this team looks with KP off the ball and Alyssa Thomas running the point. 

Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx/2nd 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

As of this writing, the 9-3 Minnesota Lynx have the 3rd best record in the WNBA, and the biggest reason for that is Napheesa Collier. Before missing nearly the entire 2022 season due to the birth of her child, Phee was named 2nd Team All-WNBA and 2nd Team All-Defense. She returned last year to average a career-high 21.5 PPG and earned a 4th place finish in MVP voting. 

She’s been even better to start this year, putting up 20.8 PPG to go along with career-highs in RPG (10.8), APG (3.8), SPG (2.0), and BPG (1.5). As the numbers suggest, she commands a lot of attention as a scorer and makes defenses pay by finding open teammates. She’s also one of the best defense power forwards in the WNBA. As an added bonus, her Lynx coach, Cheryl Reeve, is the head coach of Team USA and knows better than anybody the many ways Collier can positively impact the game. 

Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty/1st 5x5 Olympic Appearance)

When it comes to 3-point shooting, few have the arsenal of Sabrina. Whether it’s catch and shoot, off the dribble, in transition, or from the logo, she can knock them down in backbreaking fashion. To help open that shot up even more for her, she’s also developed a nice little floater as a way to keep defenses off balance. The 11-2 Liberty have the 2nd-best record in the league, and Sabrina’s 17.8 PPG plays a big role in that. 

However, she’s more than just a scorer. She was a triple-double machine at Oregon, and she’s carried those skills over to the pros. Sabrina gives this team another fantastic passer and she also rebounds well for her size. As we’ve seen with the Liberty, she’s also good at figuring out how to maximize her role beside talented teammates in a way that will come in handy in Paris. 

Despite all of the noise and reasons, this is going to be a fun team to pull for in Paris. As the game has grown over the years, the Olympic Committee’s job has gotten tougher. Not only do they have an incredible pool of players to choose from, but now they also have to pay closer attention to the progress other countries have made. While there have been choices I haven’t necessarily agreed with over the years, it’s hard to argue with the results. I have watched every Olympics since 1996, and we have won the gold medal in women’s basketball every single time. I’m looking forward to that streak continuing this year!