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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.

Caitlin Clark Player Edition Kobe 5 Sneakers Fly Off Nike’s Shelves

An image of the Nike Kobe V Protro sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
The Nike Player Edition Kobe V Protros designed by Caitlin Clark sold out in minutes on Monday. (Nike)

The first Nike Player Edition sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark sold out almost immediately on Monday morning, with fans snapping up the limited run of the Fever guard's Kobe 5 Protros within minutes of the 10 AM ET online drop.

Inspired by the Indiana Fever's colors, Clark's high-gloss Kobe shoes come in Midnight Blue with a tongue and additional accents in Bright Crimson, as well as "vibrant hits of University Gold."

Though Nike did not disclose actual stock numbers, multiple sneaker insiders estimated that Monday's release included just 13,000 pairs of Clark's edition.

Originally on sale for $190 through Nike's website, the Kobe 5 Protro PE is already topping $350 on the resale market.

Clark has been a Nike athlete since inking an NIL deal with the sportswear giant just before her junior NCAA season at the University of Iowa in October 2022, with the WNBA sophomore later signing a reported eight-year, $28 million endorsement contract just after finishing her collegiate career.

That current deal, inked just after the Indiana Fever selected Clark as the 2024 WNBA Draft's overall No. 1 pick, includes the release of a signature shoe.

While Nike still plans to add Clark to its signature shoe roster, the brand appears to be testing the market's waters using the guard's preferred on-court Kobe sneakers — to a sellout success.

How to buy the Caitlin Clark x Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE

Plans looking to pay retail prices for Clark's latest sneaker design will have to wait for Nike to restock, with online resellers like StockX, GOAT, and Flight Club currently selling the shoes at a significant markup.

Waivers, Trades Rattle WNBA Standings as Teams Hunt Midseason Boosts

Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith looks down during a 2025 WNBA game.
Former Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith was abruptly traded to the Las Vegas Aces on Monday. (Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming later this month, teams across the league aren't waiting for the August 7th deadline to pull the trigger on trades and waivers, significantly shaking up league rosters.

On Monday, Dallas abruptly traded forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for a 2027 first-round draft pick, surprising Smith and her Wings teammates — including girlfriend DiJonai Carrington.

"Sick to my stomach dawg, never seen this coming," Smith posted to X after the WNBA announced the trades, adding "if I could've chose anywhere to go it would've been Vegas, so hella excited [for] this new opportunity."

WNBA trades target future prospects

The recent WNBA trades both reflect the depth of options Dallas has in their frontcourt — most recently boosted by the Wings acquiring center Li Yueru from Seattle last month — and indicates the team's early play at a talented WNBA Draft class, with NCAA stars like USC's JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo going pro in 2027.

At the same time, Smith's trade extends Las Vegas's first-round draft drought, with the Aces — who last added a first-round selection in 2022 — currently without an early draft pick until 2028.

As the Las Vegas focuses on leveling up this season, hoping Smith helps boost their current seventh-place league standing, the Aces also added roster cuts to their Monday trade.

Las Vegas handed out waivers to guard Tiffany Mitchell and second-year forward Elizabeth Kitley, who was selected 24th overall by the Aces in the 2024 WNBA Draft despite tearing her ACL at the end of her NCAA career.

Golden State Valkyries guard Julie Vanloo looks on during a 2025 WNBA game.
Golden State waived Belgian guard Julie Vanloo as she returned from winning the 2025 EuroBasket. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Golden State waives 2025 EuroBasket champ Vanloo

Making their own controversial Monday move was 2025 expansion side Golden State, as the Valkyries cut Belgian guard Julie Vanloo shortly after the 2025 EuroBasket champion rushed to return to California, skipping her national team's title-winning celebrations.

"Literally just touched down in the bay," Vanloo wrote on an Instagram story littered with broken heart emojis. "I need some time to process all of this man and put my feels into words. I can't right now."

While Golden State faces backlash for the timing of the cut, waiving Vanloo ultimately opens up a contract for the Valkyries, with rumors swirling that either guard Kaitlyn Chen or forward Laeticia Amihere will earn the roster spot after impressing as replacement players during European absences.

All in all, with WNBA roster space remaining at a premium, teams are making big swings in an effort to shore up their ranks as they push toward the 2025 season's halfway point.

Indiana Fever Face Minnesota Lynx at 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final

The Indiana Fever huddle during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Indiana Fever will play in their first-ever Commissioner's Cup final on Tuesday night. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final tips off on Tuesday night, when first-time finalist Indiana will look to upset reigning Cup champs Minnesota in a winner-take-all showdown for both bragging rights and the lion's share of the in-season tournament's prize pool.

With the total purse set at $500,000, athletes on the winning team will earn around $30,000 each — plus an additional $5,000 for the Commissioner's Cup final MVP — while losing players will take home $10,000.

While Tuesday's final won't count toward the regular-season WNBA standings, the battle will be the first meeting between the Lynx and Fever this year, adding first-clash drama to the already-high stakes.

"I think it's going to feel like a playoff game. It's going to be really fun," Lynx star Napheesa Collier told reporters, noting Minnesota's home-court advantage in the matchup. "Our fans show up for us every game, but especially in that environment ... it's going to be electrifying."

Despite the excitement, player availability could tip the scales in Tuesday's outcome, as both Collier and Fever guard Caitlin Clark contend with recent injuries.

While Collier returned from a lingering back issue without missing a beat last weekend, Clark missed Indiana's last two games due to a groin issue and is currently "questionable" to play for the Commissioner's Cup.

"I'm going to be day-to-day," Clark said on Sunday. "Doing everything I can to put myself in position to play the next game. That's always my goal."

How to watch tonight's WNBA Commissioner's Cup final

The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever will take the court for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final at 8 PM ET on Tuesday.

Live coverage of the in-season tournament's championship game will air on Prime.

WNBA Drops All-Star Game Starters, Taps Rookie Paige Bueckers

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers celebrates a play during a 2025 WNBA game against the Indiana Fever.
Paige Bueckers is the only rookie to make the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup. (Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA dropped its All-Star Game starters list on Monday, with just one rookie earning enough votes to feature on the star-studded 10-player lineup.

In addition to being the lone rookie, Dallas's No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers will be the only All-Star debutant playing in the game's first minutes, as the Wings guard joins nine previous All-Stars to tip off the July 19th matchup — giving her a presumptive edge in this year's Rookie of the Year race.

Joining Bueckers as WNBA All-Star starters will be team captains Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), as well as Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces).

A mix of 50% fan voting, 25% player voting, and 25% media voting determined the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup — though the three groups did not necessarily come to a consensus.

For example, players ranked Clark ninth among guards, while the media put her in third. A record-setting 1.29 million fan votes boosted the Fever star into a captain's role.

As for players who fell just short of a starting position, like Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell and Chicago forward Angel Reese fell just short of starting at their positions, their All-Star dreams aren't over yet.

Head coaches across the league will now vote to select 12 reserve players, likely adding both fan favorites and stat-sheet stars to the July 6th final All-Star player pool, with Collier and Clark building their teams from that list on July 8th.

Though reputation, skill, and popularity all factor into All-Star nods, this year's group is also underlining the depth of the WNBA's talent base.

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