Our WNBA is on vacation for the next couple of weeks. What would a WNBA vacation look like? Mimosas and margaritas in Jamaica is our guess.
But while the W gets a much needed relaxer, our women’s basketball attention turns to how things will unfold over the next couple of weeks at the Olympics – which this year’s rendition of will emanate from Paris, France.
Team USA, coached by Cheryl Reeve, has a stacked team heading into France as the USA pursues its eighth consecutive gold medal. The Core Four of the Las Vegas Aces are on this team and that includes A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young.
Three from the Phoenix Mercury will sport the Team USA colors. Those three are Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi (competing in her final Games) and Kahleah Copper. Two from the New York Liberty are also on those team. Those two are Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.
The 12-person roster also includes Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm).
While one must feel optimistic about USA Basketball’s chances of departing from Paris with gold medals draped around their necks, it must be said that the talent level in the international game is certainly on the rise. The talent gap between those developed in the States and those in other countries appears to getting more narrow.
Without further ado, here is a look at the competition that awaits Team USA at this year’s Olympics.
Group C
Japan 🇯🇵
Team USA’s first opponent in the group phase will be Japan. Akatsuki Japan were silver medalists from the Olympics in Tokyo three seasons ago. Japan earned its berth to Paris 2024 by winning in the FIBA Qualifying Tournament in Hungary earlier this year.
Mai Yamamoto and Evelyn Mawuli each scored 21 points in the FIBA final against Canada – one that was won by a final of 86-82. Saori Miyazaki also added 16 points in that winning effort back in February.
WNBA fans may be familiar with the name Stephanie Mawuli, who scored eight points in that FIBA contest. Last year, Mawuli had a training camp contract with the New York Liberty.
Belgium 🇧🇪
Group C is being tagged as the “Group of Death” for a great reason – and one of those reasons is the presence of the Belgian Cats.
At the Games in Tokyo, Belgium finished seventh. Belgium recently suffered a massive blow with the announcement that Julie Allemand (also of the Los Angeles Sparks) will miss this year’s Olympics in Paris due to a muscle injury. Nastja Claessens will serve in Allemand’s stead at the Games.
Belgium qualified for this year’s Olympics by virtue of a blowout victory over Senegal at the FIBA Qualifier – in Belgium, nonetheless. While the Cats will miss Allemand, they still do have Emma Meesseman who was integral in the Washington Mystics’ 2019 championship. She had a 32-point, seven-rebound effort in that victory over Senegal. Julie Vanloo also contributed 11 points to Belgium’s cause. Bethy Mununga also added 10 points in that game.
Germany 🇩🇪
There is a first time for everything. Ask the German national team which will make its debut in the Olympics this time around.
The only other time Germany qualified for either an Olympics or a FIBAs was in 1998 – when Germany was the host country of that year’s FIBA World Cup. Germany will also host the 2026 FIBA World Cup.
It is safe to say that this year’s Germany rendition will provide a much stiffer test than that 1998 rendition. Back in February, Germany defeated Brazil in its own country in a FIBA qualifier to punch its ticket to Paris. It was a close contest, but one that went the way of Germany by a final of 73-71.
It went the way of Germany because of noteworthy names from the WNBA ranks. Leonie Fiebich led the way with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Satou Sabally also contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double of her own – plus four assists. Nyara Sabally tallied 10 and hauled in five boards.
Group B
Australia 🇦🇺
Sandy Brondello’s Australian Opals have been on the cusp of Olympic or FIBAs gold on more than one occasion only to hit roadblocks with stars and stripes adorned on them.
Australia departed from the earlier FIBA Qualifier in Brazil as one of the teams that earned a berth to the Olympics. The Opals earned close victories over host Brazil and Serbia not to mention a blowout victory to dispatch of Germany.
The Opals have uncharacteristically left the last two Olympics with less than desirable results. Australia was left off of the medal stand at the last two Games, finishing fifth in Rio and eighth in Tokyo.
Third-ranked Australia also will miss Rebecca Allen due to a hamstring injury. Australia will have Lauren Jackson – 43 years old and will be competing in her fifth Olympics. They will also have Marianna Tolo who scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the 75-73 over Serbia in Brazil.
Isobel Borlase added 12 in the win over Serbia along with four assists. Ezi Magbegor finished that game with 11 points, four blocks and three rebounds. Cayla George and Jade Melbourne contributed 10 points each with George adding six rebounds and Melbourne grabbing four.
Canada 🇨🇦
Ever since Canada began competing in the Olympics, the closest Team Canada has come to the medal stand was at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles when they finished fourth.
Canada also recently managed a fourth-place finish at the 2022 FIBA Worlds in Australia. At this year’s Olympic qualifier in Hungary, Canada opened the tournament with a 67-55 victory over the host nation before suffering losses to Spain and Japan.
Of course, the list of names that would be on Canada’s team would read like the typical who’s-who of WNBA notables. These include Kia Nurse, Laeticia Amihere and Aaliyah Edwards. Other names to spotlight for Canada include Bridget Carleton, who finished with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in the victory over Hungary.
Kayla Alexander also had herself a huge outing in that win with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds to go along with three steals. Team Canada also got 10-point performances courtesy of Shay Colley and Natalie Achonwa. Colley’s also came with six rebounds and five assists while Achonwa grabbed eight rebounds and collected three steals.
France 🇫🇷
Of course, there is a team every international tournament that goes into it with a home court advantage. While Team USA will enjoy that four years from today when the five-ring circus invades Los Angeles, it will be France’s turn at the mic this time.
Since Paris is the host city for this year’s Olympiad, France did not have to play in any tournaments to qualify. France did participate in the 2022 FIBA World Cup in Australia and left with a seventh-place finish.
The names that will surely ring bells among many WNBA fans include Marine Johannes. We have seen the dazzling passes she has served up when she has been in a Liberty uniform and the same is sure to be the case playing on her home soil. Iliana Rupert and Gabby Williams are also among the noteworthy names.
France’s first contest as part of the group stage will be Monday vs. Canada.
Nigeria 🇳🇬
D’Tigress has been embroiled in controversy over the last few years. Whether it was the spat the team had with Liz Cambage in Las Vegas or the controversial withdrawal from the 2022 FIBA World Cup, Nigeria’s women’s basketball program has endured some trying times recently through no fault of its own.
Perhaps Nigeria being part of this year’s Olympics represents a turning of the corner for the program. Overcoming off-court adversity – including a funding spat via the Nigerian government – can make D’Tigress sentimental favorites heading into Paris.
Nigeria earned its berth into the Olympics after coming from behind to defeat Senegal by a final score of 72-65 at the FIBA Qualifier in Belgium. Amy Okonkwo led the D’Tigress effort with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. She also dished out three assists. Lauren Ebo and Sarah Ogoke each added 11 points in that win with Ogoke’s effort also including five assists.
Group A
Spain 🇪🇸
Fourth-ranked Spain qualified for this year’s Olympics following its showing at the FIBA Olympic Qualifier in Hungary back in February. Spain typically is in the conversation to get on the medal stand. The team departed from the Rio 2016 Olympic with silver medals, but were left off the medal stand in Tokyo following a sixth place finish.
Spain earned medals at three consecutive FIBA World Cups (bronze in 2010, silver in 2014 and bronze in 2018) prior to not qualifying in 2022.
At this year’s qualifier, Spain suffered an 86-75 defeat to Japan before rallying back to claim wins over Canada and Hungary.
The team was spearheaded by Maria Conde and her 16 points. Contributing 15 was Maite Cazorla whose performance also included four rebounds and one block. Megan Gustafson, a name certainly familiar to WNBA fans, tallied 12 points and Raquel Carrera added 10 points in a winning Spain effort.
China 🇨🇳
Of course, one would expect that Team USA would be No. 1 on the FIBA rankings. If one had to ask which team was right below the Stars and Stripes at No. 2, the response would have been correct if one guessed China.
The same China that actually departed from the FIBA World Cup two years ago having won silver medals.
China, as was the case with Hungary and Brazil, also hosted its own FIBA Olympic Qualifier back in February. The team finished with a 2-1 mark at that tournament. Both victories were blowouts (over New Zealand and Puerto Rico) but also suffered a loss at the hands of France.
Four from China stood out in that game – three of whom are likely familiar to fans of the W. Li Meng led all scorers for China with 23 points. Li Yueru put together a monster performance with 23 rebounds and 22 points – including 10 on the offensive glass. Han Xu logged over 15 minutes and added 11 points with eight rebounds – two shy of her own double-double. Sijing Huang contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in over 20 minutes of play.
Serbia 🇷🇸
This team’s fortunes as far as Olympics are concerned have seen great improvement the last two renditions.
It was in 2016 in Brazil where Serbia exited those Olympics with a bronze medal. At the Tokyo Olympics of 2021, Serbia nearly got on the medal stand again, but departed from those Games with a fourth place finish.
The team also advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup in Australia two years ago.
Marina Maljkovic’s assembling may have gone 1-2 at the FIBA Olympic Qualifer in Brazil, but that one victory was good enough to punch Serbia’s ticket to Paris. The one win was over Brazil (72-65) and the losses were to Australia (75-73) and Germany (73-66).
The primary catalyst for the Serbia victory over Brazil was Yvonne Anderson. She logged over 35 minutes and contributed 30 points, eight rebounds and three steals to the victory. She could not have done it alone as Dragana Stankovic also played a big part. Stankovic was Serbia’s secret weapon off the bench as she scored 19 points in over 18 minutes. She also added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Jovana Nogic also added 10 points.
Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
Last but not least is Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico may have gone 1-2 at the FIBA Olympic Qualifier in China, but that one win was good enough to ensure one of the 12 berths at the Games would be claimed by Las Boricuas.
Puerto Rico’s profile on the international stage of the women’s game has been steadily rising. The team claimed a 12th-place finish in Tokyo three years ago and has qualified for the last two FIBA World Cups. This includes advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2022 rendition in Australia.
Its lone victory in the FIBA Olympic Qualifier was over New Zealand in a 69-67 decision. Puerto Rico was also on the receiving end of blowouts to France (88-40) and China (105-69).
In the win over New Zealand, Mya Hollingshed logged over 37 minutes and mustered a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds plus one steal. Arella Guirantes contributed 13 points, dished out eight assists and collected eight rebounds. As for Jacqueline Benitez, she finished with 13 points. Isalys Quinones aided Puerto Rico’s cause with 10 points and six rebounds in over 26 minutes.
Venues
Two venues will be in use for basketball at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
One of them was a controversial choice given the location. Stade Pierre-Mauroy does have a retractable roof and seats over 50,000. The problem is its primary use is for football. Concerns have also been raised about air conditioning at the arena.
Even more controversial is how it is located in Lille – over two hours north of the center of Paris. It typically has the name Decathlon Arena, but goes by its non-corporate name due to Olympic bylaws regarding stadia that have sold their naming rights.
Stade Pierre-Mauroy will host the basketball preliminary rounds.
The same applies to the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. Needless to say, it is a bit closer to the center of Paris than the Stade Pierre-Mauroy is and will play host to the basketball finals.
