USA Team announced on NBC Today show

[UcMiami]

Average age 29.3. Is this the oldest US olympic team ever?

I went ahead and checked on some of the NT ages:
2000 Olympics - 28.8
2002 WC - 28.9 (influx of Bird and Catchings)
2004 Oly - 28.6 (arrival of DT)
2006 WC - 26.9 (arrival of Parker and Augustus) - Bronze medal team
2008 Oly - 28.2 (arrival of Fowles)

So as far as I checked this would be the oldest team but not by much.

Interesting to note that by far the youngest team was the only one I checked to lose in the medal round.
I suspect that the 2018 team may challenge the age of that team.

 

[UcMiami]

There will be 3 years of international play to bring along the "seed corn", though I'd choose another nickname for the Newbies myself.

Some players mentioned in these threads about who is on and off have had zero or extremely limited international competition. On the other had, Stewie played on 4 or 5 USA teams and the national team, just to name one example. In Geno's interviews over the last couple of years he has mentioned how difficult this year's selection process would be, and how from the Selection Committee's point of view and his own, you don't lightly cast aside people who have won the USA 1, 2, 3 Gold Metals in favor of "new blood."

Stewart has also played three international competitions against senior national teams - two PanAms and a WC.

 

[JoePgh]

It is easy to be noble in victory, but so few are these days. Geno has it down pat, because he is a generous soul. Just thought I'd take your typo and run with it.

Here is an interesting ESPN article from when Geno was first appointed as head coach of USA team with some remarks about selecting CT players.

Auriemma to lead UConn, U.S. simultaneously

Couldn't you find a more felicitous way to put that?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This from last week:

"Carol spoke about how the following factors played a role in the selection process: individual talent, players who fit roles on the team, sentimentality, age, previous Olympic or international experience, previous opportunities to be in the Olympics, and previous relationships with coaching and administrative staff."

********

"This roster is so loaded that if the 6 of the 25 players who played at UConn under current Olympic head coach Geno Auriemma constituted the starting five and the sixth man, they could probably be in the mix for the Gold. Auriemma was also the head coach for the US Olympic Women’s team in 2012."


Read more at Selecting the 2016 Women's Olympic Basketball Team (VIDEO)

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Couldn't you find a more felicitous way to put that?

I just knew you would pick that up! Wag.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Really, I would commend the Committee Chairwomen's Video Interview (audio is pretty sucky) about factors going into selecting 12 from 25 of the world's greatest, before we carry the injustice this injustice that yammering on longer. Demagoguery is the child of the ill informed.



And, if you go up a few posts to my posting on Geno's original selection video and pay attention to his getting all misty eyed/choked up about being not entitled and then having the opportunity, and still conclude he did something to a certain player who played for USA and him in 2012, then there is only one word for what's flying around in your head: BATS.

 

[bags27]

No wonder Stef didn't make the team: her hair's not purple!

 

[UcMiami]

Had not seen that interview before, though it dates back to the Feb training camp. It was a really interesting discussion. Two things that come up:
1. USA basketball really pays close attention to the overseas league play of players involved with USA basketball. Specifically her comments about Robinson I thought were huge, and suggest to me that she was a leading candidate for this team and will be for 2018 if she recovers smoothly from her achilles injury.
2. That USA basketball sees overseas experience as a mitigating factor in terms of NT experience - she talked about how the foreign league play reduces the need to get younger players into a team for the experience before they will be expected to really contribute.

Both of those concepts were new to me and I think represent a shift in thinking at USA basketball. It also really puts some added pressure on a player like Diggins. I had mentioned her lack of foreign play was't a positive with relation to the national team, but this suggests it is a significant negative.

 

[Aluminny69]

How many posters feel that the U.S.A. second team, those 13 not selected, would be the second best team at the Olympics? Should the Olympics allow a second team?

 

[UcMiami]

How many posters feel that the U.S.A. second team, those 13 not selected, would be the second best team at the Olympics? Should the Olympics allow a second team?

Nope - they might get to the medal round but I doubt they would get silver. Look at the young team in 2006 worlds that got Bronze - that was a pretty loaded team - and the international teams have gotten better.

 

[Blue Huskie]

I went ahead and checked on some of the NT ages:
2000 Olympics - 28.8
2002 WC - 28.9 (influx of Bird and Catchings)
2004 Oly - 28.6 (arrival of DT)
2006 WC - 26.9 (arrival of Parker and Augustus) - Bronze medal team
2008 Oly - 28.2 (arrival of Fowles)

So as far as I checked this would be the oldest team but not by much.

Interesting to note that by far the youngest team was the only one I checked to lose in the medal round.
I suspect that the 2018 team may challenge the age of that team.

I was glad to see you checked them all , I did a quick check on a few of them and saw it was usually between 28 and 29. I think 1996 may have had some age but I can't find the ages on that team. Anyway the original poster's question about age didn't indicate if they thought this was a negative. With 12 players available, having people getting tired because of their "advanced" age shouldn't be a problem (LOL)

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Nope - they might get to the medal round but I doubt they would get silver. Look at the young team in 2006 worlds that got Bronze - that was a pretty loaded team - and the international teams have gotten better.

I suspect people tend to forget that many of the Nat'l Teams play together for a very long time, as opposed to our "all stars" who have, what, maybe 5-6 weeks spread over a year. It is truly amazing how dominant USA WBB has been in these circumstances.

 

[LesMis89]

I read the player reactions (Yes, was Taurasi's car double parked or something?) and it really hit me how much I'm going to miss Tamika Catchings. What a joy it has been (unless she was beating UConn).

 

[easttexastrash]

Yes, but what if, God forbid, they don't win the gold medal? That would be quite a blemish on Geno's illustrious career. Even Geno has said that is his biggest nightmare. I can't even imagine the second guessing.

He's the greatest coach to ever stand on the sidelines. Hell, even I could win gold coaching this team.

 

[easttexastrash]

How many posters feel that the U.S.A. second team, those 13 not selected, would be the second best team at the Olympics? Should the Olympics allow a second team?

Liz Cambage would feast on the post players that the US has waiting in the wings. We would not be able to slow her down.

 

[easttexastrash]

No wonder Stef didn't make the team: her hair's not purple!

She is a true Prince fan.

 

[HuskyNan]

Liz Cambage would feast on the post players that the US has waiting in the wings. We would not be able to slow her down.

Candace Parker would give her fits. Cambage would have to defend her and score 20 points. Easier said than done.

 

[easttexastrash]

Candace Parker would give her fits. Cambage would have to defend her and score 20 points. Easier said than done.

Candace Parker would not be able to keep Cambage out of the paint. One strong post-up and Parker would be giving up real estate. A pass out and a re-post would most likely result in two feet in the paint and an easy shot over Parker. Parker is much more finesse than power.

 

[UcMiami]

I suspect people tend to forget that many of the Nat'l Teams play together for a very long time, as opposed to our "all stars" who have, what, maybe 5-6 weeks spread over a year. It is truly amazing how dominant USA WBB has been in these circumstances.

It is also why it is so hard to break into the team - the team memory from competition to competition makes the short practice time more tenable. The talent disparity between USA and most of the other teams also allows the preliminary rounds, however they are formatted, to be a further breaking in period.

 

[UcMiami]

I was glad to see you checked them all , I did a quick check on a few of them and saw it was usually between 28 and 29. I think 1996 may have had some age but I can't find the ages on that team. Anyway the original poster's question about age didn't indicate if they thought this was a negative. With 12 players available, having people getting tired because of their "advanced" age shouldn't be a problem (LOL)

OK:
1996 Oly - 26.9 (Lobo intro and oldest player was Edwards at 31)
1998 WC - 25.7 (Wolters, Holdsclaw intro and Bolton the oldest at 30)

This was just at the start of pro ball in the USA so not a lot of players were training past age thirty for a chance to play ball once every two years - lots of recent college grads in these teams and no one ,such over thirty.

NB - the history tab of the USA women's national team page has recaps of every WC and Olympic team that includes a roster list and an abbreviated total stats.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

He's the greatest coach to ever stand on the sidelines. Hell, even I could win gold coaching this team.

When you're asked I'll cheer for you, until then stop looking for negative attention.. You're far better than that.

 

[Aluminny69]

Candace Parker would not be able to keep Cambage out of the paint. One strong post-up and Parker would be giving up real estate. A pass out and a re-post would most likely result in two feet in the paint and an easy shot over Parker. Parker is much more finesse than power.

How about Steph Dolson and/or Kiah Stokes?