Less than three weeks remain before the Paris Olympics, and official women’s basketball rosters are being revealed for the elite 12-nation tournament.
China, Puerto Rico, and Serbia are yet to announce their players, while Nigeria and Germany still need to finalize their lineups before the Summer Games begin.
Canada, Australia, Spain, and Belgium recently announced their 12-player squads, joining previously revealed rosters from Tokyo medalists Team USA (gold), Japan (silver), and France (bronze).
Out of the 9 finalized and provisional teams, 27 players from five countries currently play in the WNBA, with an additional 10 competing in the NCAA.
International Olympic basketball teams to watch
Australia’s Olympic basketball lineup features no less than seven WNBA players, making it one of the teams to keep an eye on outside of Team USA.
Led by NY Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, the Opals include four rookies and three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson. At 43, Jackson will participate in her fifth Olympic Games this summer after a 12-year break from Olympic competition.
Canada will bring four standout WNBA players – Aaliyah Edwards (Mystics), Kia Nurse (Sparks), Laeticia Amihere (Dream), and Bridget Carleton (Lynx) – to Paris. Natalie Achonwa, a former Fever and Lynx center, also made the roster, becoming Canada’s first four-time Olympic women’s basketball player.
Stiff Olympic competition for Team USA
Team USA faces tough competitors on their path to an eighth-straight gold medal, with Japan, Germany, and a strong Belgian team in Group C ready to challenge them.
Belgium, who made their Olympic debut in Tokyo, are considered serious contenders for a podium finish in Paris, with 2021 WNBA champion and FIBA EuroBasket MVP Emma Meesseman leading the way.
France is another strong opponent for the US, with former Sky and Storm forward Gabby Williams being a key player in their quest for success in the Olympics.
