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Team USA Women’s Basketball: the biggest global dynasty we take for granted

ATHENS – AUGUST 28: Diana Taurasi #1 of the United States and teammates celebrate from the bench as their team goes on to win the gold in the women’s basketball gold medal match 74 -63 over Australia on August 28, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Indoor Hall of the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

During the Olympics, U.S. teams in women’s soccer, gymnastics and beach volleyball enjoy a substantial boost in viewership and public support. By comparison, the U.S. women’s national basketball team gets little fanfare. You could say the same for such sports like indoor volleyball and water polo, etc., but none of these teams have been more victorious than USA Women’s Basketball. Not by a mile.

The women’s national team has won eight out of 10 gold medals since the sport debuted in 1976 for women (not counting the 1980 boycott). This summer they are competing for a seventh gold medal in a row. The only other U.S. team to have accomplished this feat is the men’s national basketball team, which had a forty-year head start and won the first seven Olympic golds from 1936 to 1968. Besides the men’s squad, no other U.S. team even comes close to the women’s 80 percent gold-medal winning percentage. 

One could argue that this is the crux of the problem. That the U.S. women are too dominant in basketball to the point that it’s not captivating, that there’s not enough parity to make it exciting. It’s the same argument that was applied to UConn when they won four NCAA titles in a row behind Breanna Stewart. It’s safe to say, looking back, that UConn’s dominance was not, in fact, bad for the sport. And neither is Team USA’s.

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Team USA celebrates winning gold in Rio (Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

Granted, international basketball isn’t on the same footing as international soccer or other sports given a global footprint by the former British Empire. For women’s soccer, the World Cup and the Olympics represent the pinnacle of competition. For basketball, on the contrary, the highest level of competition is found in the WNBA. The result for USA Women’s Basketball is that making the national team is arguably harder than winning the gold medal.

As hoops legend Simone Augustus recently told LaChina Robinson on the Around the Rim pod, “You’re talking about the top players in the world, there’s only 12 spots … if you wanted to be on that team, you had to be at the tip, tip, tip top in order to make that team. That was by far the hardest team to make.”

Competition to make Team USA is so fierce that often the biggest Olympic storyline is who didn’t make the team, as was the case in 2016 when Candace Parker was inexplicably left off the roster and deprived of a gold.

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Skylar Diggins-Smith (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

This year represents another opportunity to shift the narrative around USA Women’s Basketball, which is easily the greatest global dynasty we take for granted as fans.

Yes, there was the usual bit of drama when the roster came out, as fans (rightfully) questioned how Nneka Ogwumike could be left off. But that can’t be where the story ends for Team USA, not when the quality of the product on the court is this phenomenal and the cultural influence of the players off the court is this palpable. 

The popularity of the WNBA is soaring, and there are good reasons for it. The national team is a highly distilled version of the same ingredients which make the W great, which is why Team USA’s latest gold medal bid has the potential to capture the heart of the nation.

On the court, the talent has never been better

With only 144 roster spots in the WNBA, all 12 teams in the league are stacked with big names (thus the vocal calls for #WNBAexpansion), but none more so than the Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury. Both teams have an intimidating “Big Three” and all six of those players are now teammates on Team USA. For Phoenix, it’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner and (GOAT No. 1) Diana Taurasi. For Seattle, it’s Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart and (GOAT No. 2) Sue Bird. 

For Taurasi and Bird, there could never be enough print about what they’ve accomplished in their parallel careers. The all-time leading scorer (DT) and all-time leading dime dealer (Bird) are each playing in their fifth consecutive Olympic games and hunting down a fifth consecutive gold medal at 39 and 40 years old, respectively. Tokyo could be the last time we see the two GOATS together on the court wearing the same jersey. Savor it.

On the opposite end, this will be the first Olympics for reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson, who is only in her fourth pro season but has quickly become a face of the league. During the Olympics she’ll be sharing the court with Seattle’s “Big Three,” who bested her Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Finals last season 3-0. Seattle and Vegas currently sit first and second in league standings. 

In addition to teaming up with her biggest competition, Wilson will get to play alongside her good friend and fellow Olympic newbie Napheesa Collier. There might not be a traditional Olympics village this year, but that doesn’t mean A’ja and Napheesa won’t have some serious tea to spill on their JWS podcast, Tea with A & Phee. 

You’ve also got Tina Charles, who has stepped up massively in Elena Della Donne’s absence for the Washington Mystics. Charles is currently leading all scorers in the W this season and is in the top five in rebounding. On any given night, she’s liable to post an eye-popping double-double.

An let’s not forget future Hall of Famer Sylvia Fowles (the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder), the “Point Gawd” Chelsea Gray and defensive specialist Ariel Atkins. It goes without saying that Team USA is overloaded with talent, and that on paper, this could be one of the best women’s basketball teams ever. 

Off the court, the impact has never been bigger

During the 2020 Wubble season, the WNBA received widespread acknowledgement for being a leading voice in social justice matters. Given that the league is majority Black, with a large number of LGTBQ+ athletes, these professional women’s basketball players are living at the heart of these struggles.

As Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA’s Players Association, put it, “We’re 70 percent Black women. It’s just that simple really. Naturally, we are unfortunately inherently political. We don’t choose to be, it just is. That authenticity drives our action.”

The political actions taken by the WNBA last summer — from tributes to Breonna Taylor, to supporting Rev. Raphael Warnock in his U.S. Senate bid against then-WNBA owner Kelly Loeffler — were organized, unified, and powerful. Players responded in real time to events happening across the country with poise and profound thoughtfulness. Their deeply-rooted support of social justice campaigns drew in many new fans. Now, a consolidated group of these women will be taking both their skills and social beliefs to Tokyo as they represent the United States on the global stage.

With Dawn Staley at the helm, a three-time Olympic gold medalist herself and the first Black head coach for the women’s national team, there are inherent political implications even without an explicit demonstration or targeted campaign. But just as these players did in the bubble last year, expect them to lead the conversation both on and off the court.

The games themselves might not come down to the wire, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a thousand and one other reasons to watch what these women do in Tokyo this summer. Greatness shouldn’t be taken for granted, and in the history of the Olympics, there simply is no greater team.

‘The Late Sub’ Digs Into Angel City FC’s Red-Hot 2025 NWSL Start

Angel City winger Alyssa Thompson celebrates a goal during a 2025 NWSL match.
With three goals in four matches, Alyssa Thompson is leading Angel City's young attack. (Harry How/NWSL via Getty Images)

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins examines Angel City FC's early success in the young 2025 NWSL season.

Off to an undefeated 2025 campaign, a stat only the 2024 championship-winning Orlando Pride and powerhouse Kansas City Current also boast, 2022 expansion side Angel City launched itself into the early contender conversation after missing the NWSL Playoffs entirely last season.

Watkins digs into the LA club, chatting through the team's star-studded formation, its early days, as well as its young core, highlighted by star sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson — all while weighing if the squad is truly ready to level up into the league's title-seeking echelon.

Angel City is beginning to see some payoff from its early developmental strategy, with Watkins pointing out that taking winger Alyssa Thompson straight out of high school is now providing major returns.

"She's got three goals in four games in 2025, she's the second youngest NWSL player to hit 10 goals and 10 assists in her career," noted Watkins. "Teams are having trouble accounting for her despite knowing that she is their offensive focal point at this moment."

That said, even with Thompson's prowess, Watkins does expect the club's hot start to cool, though she does predict a 2025 NWSL Playoff berth for the LA team.

"They are getting through on moments of brilliance, on chemistry and mental fortitude," noted Watkins. "It's a long season, and those kinds of things can start to slip as you get tired and other teams get used to the way that you play."

About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.

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MLB Trailblazer Kim Ng Named AUSL Commissioner

Miami Marlins GM Kim Ng smiles before a 2023 MLB game.
Ex-MLB GM Kim Ng will serve as AUSL’s first commissioner. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) hired former MLB executive Kim Ng as its first-ever commissioner on Wednesday, tapping into Ng’s 21 years of top-level experience ahead of the league’s inaugural 2025 season.

After becoming the youngest assistant general manager in baseball history for the New York Yankees in 1998, Ng inked another line into the record books as the first woman GM in any major US men’s sports league in November 2020, when she took over the front office for MLB’s Miami Marlins.

Her three-season tenure in Miami culminated in a 2023 playoff appearance — the Marlins' first in 20 years.

Ng's pivot to softball is a homecoming for the trailblazing 56-year-old exec, who played NCAA softball before breaking down MLB barriers.

"I think after 30-plus years in the business, I also owe it to myself to do some things that I hadn't necessarily had the opportunity to do in the past," Ng told The Athletic about her decision to join AUSL. "And this is, for me, it's a passion."

Prior to her commissioner appointment, Ng served as a senior advisor for AUSL, helping to develop the league into existence from a landscape full of growing parity at the college level, yet few viable pro opportunities.

"Knowing what an established, mature system of governance looks like, I think will be really helpful in establishing this league," Ng added.

Athletes Unlimited softball player Rachel Garcia warms up before a 2024 game.
AUSL offers NCAA alums like ex-UCLA star pitcher Rachel Garcia the chance to go pro in softball. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

AUSL takes the field with 2025 tour

Launching on June 7th — immediately following the 2025 NCAA Women's College World Series — each of the AUSL's four inaugural teams will play 24 games across a seven-week season.

The league's 2025 debut will function as a tour, with regular-season games played across eight different cities before two additional locations are added for the first-ever AUSL All-Star Cup in August.

Each city is auditioning to become one of six permanent markets for the league, which will transition to a traditional location-based set-up in 2026.

PWHL Reveals 2025 Draft Details, Will Welcome New Pros in June

2024 PWHL Draft No. 1 pick Sarah Fillier skates in a 2025 New York Sirens game.
Princeton alum Sarah Fillier was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 PWHL Draft. (Troy Parla/Getty Images)

The PWHL dropped its 2025 Draft details on Tuesday, with the league’s third-annual entry draft set to take over Ottawa, Canada — home of the Charge — on June 24th.

Eligible NCAA standouts and other pro hockey prospects have until May 8th to declare for selection, following the PWHL’s May 3rd regular-season finale.

Notably, the second-year league follows the Gold Plan when it comes to determining draft order. Under this system, teams eliminated from the playoffs have an incentive to continue hunting wins, as franchises who amass more points post-elimination secure higher draft picks.

The New York Sirens and 2024 champions Minnesota Frost currently sit below the postseason cutoff line, meaning both teams could snag the most draft capital when the league returns from international break later this month.

Team USA's Abbey Murphy skates during a 2023 game against Canada.
Team USA's Abbey Murphy is the likely 2025 PWHL Draft No. 1 pick, unless she returns to the NCAA. (Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)

NCAA stars likely to top 2025 PWHL Draft selections

Last year, the New York Sirens selected Princeton star Sarah Fillier as the overall No. 1 pick, with the rookie forward having an immediate impact in her debut pro season.

Fillier currently ranks second in individual points scored on the 2024/25 PWHL stat sheet, trailing only US hockey legend and Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight.

As for who will join Fillier and Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise — the inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft No. 1 pick — atop this year's draft, two NCAA standouts are likely contenders.

Should she declare, University of Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy is the projected 2025 No. 1 pick.

However, Murphy could return to the Golden Gophers for a final NCAA season following her international duty with the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship semifinals-bound Team USA.

Should Murphy defer her pro debut, 2024/25 NCAA MVP Casey O'Brien is the likely top selectee, having already declared for the draft.

The Wisconsin captain wrapped up her NCAA campaign as this season's leading scorer, claiming 88 points on 26 goals and 62 assists en route to this year’s national championship — the third NCAA title of her college career.

LSU Hunts Repeat Title as 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championships Kick Off

UCLA gymnastics star Jordan Chiles poses during her balance beam routine at a 2025 NCAA meet.
Jordan Chiles’s UCLA squad is hunting their first NCAA title since 2018. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Eight top squads are edging closer to Saturday’s 2025 NCAA gymnastics championships team trophy, with the pivotal semifinal round kicking off on Thursday afternoon.

No. 2-seed Oklahoma, No. 3 Florida, No. 7 Missouri, and No. 11 Alabama will hit the mat first, before 2024 winners and the 2025 bracket's No. 1-seed LSU goes to work to defend their title against No. 4 Utah, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 8 Michigan State.

The top two teams from each of Thursday's semifinals will advance to compete for the national title on Saturday.

LSU's Haleigh Bryant does a split-leap during a December 2024 gymnastics exhibition meet.
LSU's Haleigh Bryant will defend her 2024 all-around title on Thursday. (Reagan Cotten/University Images via Getty Images)

Semifinal meets will crown individual NCAA champions

First, however, five individual NCAA trophies will be bestowed on Thursday night, as the semifinal meets will determine the 2025 all-around and event champions.

In addition to the athletes on the eight qualifying teams, four all-around competitors and 16 event specialists will join the race for solo NCAA hardware, with each earning an invite as the top performer in their respective category at one of the sport's four Regional tournaments.

These individual contenders will follow a qualified team's rotation schedule during their semifinal meet.

Leading the all-around pack is LSU star and 2024 individual champ Haleigh Bryant, though she'll face stiff competition in her bid for a back-to-back championship.

Standing in Bryant's path are Oregon State's Jade Carey, Arkansas's Joscelyn Roberson, Denver's Madison Ulrich, and Washington's Mary McDonough, alongside qualified team athletes like UCLA's Jordan Chiles — Carey’s 2024 Olympics teammate.

Bryant will also defend her shared 2024 vault title, though her co-champion on that event, Cal's Mya Lauzon, will instead compete for beam and floor hardware this week.

All other 2024 event winners are also back, with LSU's Konnor McClain and Florida's Leanne Wong seeking to repeat on beam and floor, respectively. Wong will also hunt another trophy on bars, alongside last year's co-champ, Utah's Grace McCallum.

How to watch the 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championships

The first 2025 NCAA gymnastics semifinal starts at 4:30 PM ET on Thursday, followed by the second semi at 9 PM ET.

Live coverage of both semifinal meets will air on ESPN2.

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