London candidates....interesting additions

[Blakeon18]

http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/national/

The link is to an article on the USABasketball site. There are now 26 candidates for 12 spots for next summer's London Games. Two recent additions are Brittany Griner and Courtney Vandersloot.
The article is a lengthy one....the two kids seem thrilled and so does Geno.

They report that the USA team will have some practice sessions and an exhibition tour in Italy in late September and early October....no specifics. Hmmm...any chance that our Euro #1 seed [Philster] will accompany them as he did the UConn team?

I assume Geno will be back in Storrs for First Night [October 14].....he might have some insights for recruits who are visiting about the best way to make USABasketball folks sit up and take notice.

Looking at the list of 26 women who are in the mix for London it will be fascinating to see this process unfold....the last 2 or 3 spots will be especially interesting. We will have one very deep squad for sure.

 

[vtcwbuff]

An embarassment of riches and a tough job for the selection commitee.

 

[dtbtbtb]

The USA can have 2 teams playing for the Gold medal if they would allow USA A and USA B

 

[EricLA]

The USA can have 2 teams playing for the Gold medal if they would allow USA A and USA B

agreed. and agree with blake 100% - depending on what happens with Cappie and if she's really seen as a viable candidate for the team, could cause dominos to fall and players like Maya and/or Swin to just miss the team.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Cappie is a great player but the USA does not need Cappie to win. Cappie (from all what we heard) choose her private business over the USA world championship team so why should she be rewarded with a chance to get an Olympic gold medal over players who did sacrifice their time for the national team?

 

[EricLA]

Cappie is a great player but the USA does not need Cappie to win. Cappie (from all what we heard) choose her private business over the USA world championship team so why should she be rewarded with a chance to get an Olympic gold medal over players who did sacrifice their time for the national team?

i can't answer that but here is the list of invitees...

In addition to Griner and Vandersloot, the 2009-12 USA Basketball Women’s National Team includes: Jayne Appel (San Antonio Silver Stars), Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Alana Beard (Washington Mystics), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Rebekkah Brunson (Minnesota Lynx), Swin Cash (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), Shameka Christon (Chicago Sky), Candice Dupree (Phoenix Mercury), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky), Lindsey Harding (Atlanta Dream), Ebony Hoffman (Los Angeles Sparks), Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun), Kara Lawson (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Renee Montgomery (Connecticut Sun), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks), Cappie Pondexter (New York Liberty), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), Kia Vaughn (New York Liberty), Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx) and Candice Wiggins (Minnesota Lynx).

It looks to me like Cappie is on the list. I can't say for sure what the committee will do. IIRC, she and Geno have a very good relationship. To my amateur eye, i'd say Bird, Catchings, Charles, Fowles, McCoughtry, Parker, and Taurasi are locks. I'd say the next tier consists of Pondexter, Griner, Augustus, Brunson, Cash, Dupree, Jones, Moore and Whalen. Just behind them IMHO are Wiggins, Lawson, Montgomery and Vendersloot. I think Vaughn, Beard, Appel, Christon, Harding, and Hoffman have no shot.

If i had to pick right now i'd say...

1 - Bird, Whalen
2 - Taurasi, Pondexter
3 - Catch, McCaughtry, Augustus
4 - Parker, Charles
5 - Fowles, Griner

Then maybe 1 of the Moore, Dupree, Cash, Jones, Brunson quintet. But starters i'd put Bird, Taurasi, Catchings, Parker, and Charles on the court.

If no Pondexter, then perhaps they look at Monty, Courtney, Kara or Candice. but i think it's more likely they'd consider Augustus a 2 and add Moore and Cash or one of the Dupree, Jones, Brunson trio.

 

[UcMiami]

i can't answer that but here is the list of invitees...


1 - Bird, Whalen
2 - Taurasi, Pondexter
3 - McCaughtry, Augustus
4 - Parker, Charles
5 - Fowles, Griner

You are two players short - team is 12 - I agree with your first 10 (with just a little question about Pondexter because of last year) and I would add two of Moore, Dupree, Cash, and Vandersloot. I think it ends up as Moore and Vandersloot because they are the yuoungest and USA always likes to keep bringing in new blood. I really like Dupree and Cash has been great for a long time, but ...

 

[Wbbfan1]

I wonder if Griner will participate in the Training Camp which I believe will be scheduled next month in Europe. Not sure how many days the camp is for. Baylor will be having their preseason training at the same time.

 

[UConnCat]

I wonder if Griner will participate in the Training Camp which I believe will be scheduled next month in Europe. Not sure how many days the camp is for. Baylor will be having their preseason training at the same time.

USA basketball will be in Europe from September 26-October 10. Griner will be back in time for the official start of practice. I think she'll choose playing with USA Basketball over preseason workouts in Waco.

 

[tnvolfan65]

you forgot catch too!

 

[MilfordHusky]

http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/national/

The link is to an article on the USABasketball site. There are now 26 candidates for 12 spots for next summer's London Games. Two recent additions are Brittany Griner and Courtney Vandersloot.
The article is a lengthy one....the two kids seem thrilled and so does Geno.

They report that the USA team will have some practice sessions and an exhibition tour in Italy in late September and early October....no specifics. Hmmm...any chance that our Euro #1 seed [Philster] will accompany them as he did the UConn team?

I assume Geno will be back in Storrs for First Night [October 14].....he might have some insights for recruits who are visiting about the best way to make USABasketball folks sit up and take notice.

Looking at the list of 26 women who are in the mix for London it will be fascinating to see this process unfold....the last 2 or 3 spots will be especially interesting. We will have one very deep squad for sure.

This #65 seed hopes to see them in London. Can anyone help with ticket info?

 

[Scotter]

USA basketball will be in Europe from September 26-October 10. Griner will be back in time for the official start of practice. I think she'll choose playing with USA Basketball over preseason workouts in Waco.

Maya at the same point in her college career went to the weekend training camp in D.C., but not the trip to Siberia. With the entire training period overseas I'd be a little surprised to see Griner attend. Now Maya was anticipating missing school the following year for the World Championships, which Griner wouldn't with the Olympics in the summer. I could easily see her school work preventing her from making the trip overseas for USA training. Then again this is really the last training camp before the Olympic team is chosen so this would be her shot to make the team.

 

[UConnCat]

Maya at the same point in her college career went to the weekend training camp in D.C., but not the trip to Siberia. With the entire training period overseas I'd be a little surprised to see Griner attend. Now Maya was anticipating missing school the following year for the World Championships, which Griner wouldn't with the Olympics in the summer. I could easily see her school work preventing her from making the trip overseas for USA training. Then again this is really the last training camp before the Olympic team is chosen so this would be her shot to make the team.

Good point. Two weeks is a lot of time to miss. I have to remind myself that Griner is only a junior and thus probably in the middle of her toughest courses. If she were a senior she'd likely be in a better position to handle missing a couple of weeks of school. We'll soon know.

 

[Phil]

http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/national/

They report that the USA team will have some practice sessions and an exhibition tour in Italy in late September and early October....no specifics. Hmmm...any chance that our Euro #1 seed [Philster] will accompany them as he did the UConn team?

Haha, Zero chance, although sounds like fun. I think the trip also includes some time in Spain.