As we get closer and closer to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, USA Basketball is continuing to shuffle Team USA’s roster for its exhibition and qualifying slates.
It was announced that Katie Lou Samuelson will be on the roster for Team USA’s exhibition with UConn on Jan. 27 as well as for the exhibition with Louisville on Feb. 2. She will also take part in three games of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Serbia from Feb. 6-9.
Ariel Atkins, part of the defending WNBA champion Washington Mystics as well as Tiffany Mitchell will don the USA colors for the Serbia tournament as well.
The roster changes were announced after Diamond DeShields and Diana Taurasi were unable to play, preventing them from heading to Serbia to join the USA Basketball Women’s National Team. DeShields suffered an injury while in Italy, but Taurasi is still slated to join Team USA for the exhibitions with Louisville and her alma mater UConn.
The roster for the two college exhibitions also includes Sue Bird, Tina Charles, Layshia Clarendon, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Sylvia Fowles, Chelsea Gray, Kayla McBride, Angel McCoughtry, Nneka Ogwumike, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, and A’ja Wilson. Charles will only compete against UConn while McCoughtry will only take the court against the Cards.
Atkins, Bird, Diggins-Smith, Fowles, Gray, Mitchell, Ogwumike, Samuelson, Stewart and Wilson along with Jewell Loyd and Brittney Griner will join Team USA for the qualifying tournament.
