2024 Olympics team discussion...

[Geew1992]

Or Dee sayin let’s go Vols

 

[bbsamjj]

Startling lineup for Team USA against Tenn:

Griner
Laney
Copper
DT
Atkins

Pretty much everyone on Team USA had a good game, which is not surprising given the level of competition. Sabrina Ionescu, who is maybe the closest thing left to a PG on the roster, did show out well: 9 assists (0 turnovers). Jackie Young was also excellent (6 assists to 1to). UT did out-rebound Team USA, which would be more concerning if Griner and Boston weren't the only post player on this game's roster.

Rickea Jackson is an obvious WNBA level player.

 

[nwhoopfan]

National Team playing @ Duke on ACC Network right now.

Kennedy Brown played against the US team as a Fr. at Oregon St.

Copper/Taurasi/Laney/Young/Griner starting.

 

[triaddukefan]

National Team playing @ Duke on ACC Network right now.

Kennedy Brown played against the US team as a Fr. at Oregon St.

Copper/Taurasi/Laney/Young/Griner starting.

its on tape delay, the game was played at noon. I won't spoil the outcome.

 

[nwhoopfan]

its on tape delay, the game was played at noon. I won't spoil the outcome.

I guess I'm just living in the past.

I had it on for a while, but my attention waned. I think I've reached my saturation point of hoops for the day.

 

[triaddukefan]

I guess I'm just living in the past.

I had it on for a while, but my attention waned. I think I've reached my saturation point of hoops for the day.

USA squeaked by.

 

[nwhoopfan]

USA squeaked by.

They weren't looking overwhelming while I was watching. Missing quite a few key players who almost certainly will be on the Olympic squad.

 

[CAbballfan2]

From what I can tell, is that the players who are a lock for the team weren’t invited to the college tour. The players who the coaches wanted to see more of is who participated the last couple weeks.

 

[TC22]

From what I can tell, is that the players who are a lock for the team weren’t invited to the college tour. The players who the coaches wanted to see more of is who participated the last couple weeks.

Agree, although you would think BG is a lock. Wonder why no Plum. Is she a lock? We have A’ja, Stewie, Phee and ?

 

[CAbballfan2]

Agree, although you would think BG is a lock. Wonder why no Plum. Is she a lock? We have A’ja, Stewie, Phee and ?

Yeah, maybe they wanted to get BG more reps…since she missed the World Cup. Plum was originally on the training camp list and then we never saw her. Not sure what’s going on there.

 

[GoChips20]

I think Rickea Jackson has the potential to be better than Rhyne Howard and Kaleah Copper, maybe something akin to Jackie Young if she played the 4. Could be a future Olympics team member.

What do you all think of Clark being invited up? I don’t think it happens if Gray is healthy because she’s probably the best point in the game right now, but I honestly think Clark may enter the W better than a lot of its current point guards.

 

[Dillon77]

T

It may depend on how much massaging USA Basketball and the players are willing to do to get the rankings manipulated to get players they want in the right place. Two of the four players must be in the top 10 individual ranking of players that nationality. For the United States right now, that is:

1	7	147	Arica Carter	United States	180,569
2	13	178	Camille Zimmerman	United States	153,998
3	15	182	Cierra Burdick	United States	149,734
4	32	242	Blake Dietrick	United States	113,420
5	37	252	Hailey Van Lith	United States	109,748
6	39	263	Linnae Harper	United States	106,624
7	64	392	Madison Teonie Christiana Scott	United States	77,831
8	69	430	Cameron Brink	United States	73,424
9	74	457	Azana Nahimana Baines	United States	69,891
10	79	483	Caroline Littlefield	United States	66,391

The highest ranked player who finished the last WNBA season on a team is Lexie Hull. For Tokyo, USA Basketball created a bunch of tournaments that involved the players they wanted, a bunch of other people who were available, including Kelly Faris, and DII college players. Slovenia was apparently really pursuing Azura Stevens for naturalization, but if she makes the Olympic 3x3 team, that could mean that turning them down does not hurt her as much financially.

Thanks for that information. Very informative. I had, truth be told, forgotten about the rankings system, but had -- oddly -- remembered something about the pre-Tokyo tournaments. It will be interesting to see how U.S.A. Basketball decides to play this. Are they comfortable with, say, a Brink and one guard from this list, paired with WNBA players who are not going to make the 5x5 team and/or seem right for the half-court game?

 

[bbsamjj]

Barring injury, you got to think the post is basically locked:
B. Griner
A. Wilson
B. Stewart
N. Collier
A. Thomas

Chelsea Gray, if healthy, is a lock.

Would be shocked if J. Loyd isn't a lock.

That leaves five open slots. One probably goes to a post player (A. Boston I'd think is the fave), you probably need another PG (Ionescu is leading candidate, though far from lock), and then pick any 3 of the following guards/wings:

K. Plum
J. Young
D. Taurasi
K. Copper
Arike
R. Howard
A. Gray
B. Laney
A. Atkins

 

[Dillon77]

Barring injury, you got to think the post is basically locked:
B. Griner
A. Wilson
B. Stewart
N. Collier
A. Thomas

Chelsea Gray, if healthy, is a lock.

Would be shocked if J. Loyd isn't a lock.

That leaves five open slots. One probably goes to a post player (A. Boston I'd think is the fave), you probably need another PG (Ionescu is leading candidate, though far from lock), and then pick any 3 of the following guards/wings:

K. Plum
J. Young
D. Taurasi
K. Copper
Arike
R. Howard
A. Gray
B. Laney
A. Atkins

Solid post and reasoning.

• I, too, expect J. Loyd to be on the team. She demonstrated to the previous coaching staff her willingness to play any role, particularly on defense. Coach Reeve, of course, was on that staff and will remember that.
• The question mark in all this, of course, is the state of Chelse Gray's injury. If she's alright, pretty straight forward: look for one guard who can spell her at the point and go from there.
• If she's not healthy, go with multiple folks taking a shot at lead guard? Or look at a Sky or Canada?

The only "usual" name I see missing is Elena Della Donne. Do you think her time has passed given the U.S.A. has Stewie and Collier in that kind of hybrid forward role?

 

[bbsamjj]

Great points Dillon.

SDD is one big question mark on her status in general. If she's back on the court and playing at her 2022 level, she has to be a part of convo, I think whether or not Gray is healthy. If Gray is out, I think USA BBall needs to give Canada a very hard look (then again, if Gray is out, who plays PG for the Aces? Plum? Maybe she continues that for team USA).

On EDD--this is really about her health and what she is prioritizing. Does she want another Olympic gold, at risk of making her less productive for the Mystics? Will she even be at 100%? I do think Team USA might not want to rely on someone with iffy health when they have a more of a need for a pure wing.

 

[GoChips20]

Great points Dillon.

SDD is one big question mark on her status in general. If she's back on the court and playing at her 2022 level, she has to be a part of convo, I think whether or not Gray is healthy. If Gray is out, I think USA BBall needs to give Canada a very hard look (then again, if Gray is out, who plays PG for the Aces? Plum? Maybe she continues that for team USA).

On EDD--this is really about her health and what she is prioritizing. Does she want another Olympic gold, at risk of making her less productive for the Mystics? Will she even be at 100%? I do think Team USA might not want to rely on someone with iffy health when they have a more of a need for a pure wing.

The issue with SDS at this point is she can’t be in the same room as Taurasi and I think DT is probably getting a spot, meritable or not. If Gray is healthy she’s option #1 and #2 at point, but if you have Plum and/or Young, they’re more than capable of playing lead guard when needed. I think Laney is a better wing than Atkins, Copper, and especially Howard so I expect she’ll be on the team which might free up Young positionally if she’s there as well.

 

[TC22]

My 5 would be Boston and Ionescu, Jackie Young, Plum and Copper. I think Jackie’s defense sets her apart from the others. Plum and Copper are just fun to watch.

 

[bbsamjj]

as of today, that's where I'd put my money too TC22.

 

[Dillon77]

My 5 would be Boston and Ionescu, Jackie Young, Plum and Copper. I think Jackie’s defense sets her apart from the others. Plum and Copper are just fun to watch.

@bbsamjj

Good choices, too.
Regarding Jackie Young: I think her versatility is a plus, as well, particularly with her (much) improved three-point shooting.

On another track: If Diana Taurasi is chosen, are she and Ionescu somewhat duplicative, particularly when both are primarily going to be used as zone busters (Long-range bombers)? Plum can/will attack the basket. Once again, there are so few slots that each facet of every player comes into consideration, made all the more fascinating if Gray can't go.

 

[TC22]

I honestly think we would have heard SOMETHING by now if Gray’s injury was that serious. She would have already have had surgery, no? She’s not going to be in any of these practices right now anyway. She’s in the same category as A’ja, Stewie, Phee, etc.I would think. Just my opinion.

 

[bbsamjj]

@bbsamjj

Good choices, too.
Regarding Jackie Young: I think her versatility is a plus, as well, particularly with her (much) improved three-point shooting.

On another track: If Diana Taurasi is chosen, are she and Ionescu somewhat duplicative, particularly when both are primarily going to be used as zone busters (Long-range bombers)? Plum can/will attack the basket. Once again, there are so few slots that each facet of every player comes into consideration, made all the more fascinating if Gray can't go.

speaking of versatility, did I not see Jackie Young playing some PG in the Duke/USA highlights? I think Plum has more PG experience than Young, but that certainly gives you another combo guard option.

 

[Dillon77]

speaking of versatility, did I not see Jackie Young playing some PG in the Duke/USA highlights? I think Plum has more PG experience than Young, but that certainly gives you another combo guard option.

Yup. While Marina Mabrey took over initial point guard responsibilities for those ND teams in 2018 and 2019, Jackie Young would spell her for increasingly longer periods of time against certain teams. (Both have only gotten better.) Jackie could easily take a shift for the nationals.

 

[Dillon77]

I honestly think we would have heard SOMETHING by now if Gray’s injury was that serious. She would have already have had surgery, no? She’s not going to be in any of these practices right now anyway. She’s in the same category as A’ja, Stewie, Phee, etc.I would think. Just my opinion.

• In regards to her making the team (if healthy): Yes, agree that she's a no-brainer to the roster. Don't think I've seen anyone suggest otherwise.
• Per the nature of the injury: crickets.
• As for the timing of the surgery: Crickets squared...google search on Gray/surgery goes to 2014 at Duke.

I had a knee surgery pushed back because the doctor said the swelling was still too severe for him. Much closer to today, Olivia Miles didn't get operated on until a month (or more) until after her surgery.