UConn Star Sarah Strong Joins Team USA's 3x3 Team

Team USA's 3x3 endeavors have made a Strong addition from the UConn Huskies women's basketball program.

The United States women's national basketball team announced on Wednesday that breakout UConn star Sarah Strong would be part of the 3x3 season that tips off on Friday in France. In addition to Marseille Women's Series, Team USA will also partake in the Ulaanbaatar equivalent in Mongolia next month with other events to be announced at a later date.

Strong, fresh off a sterling debut campaign with the Huskies that culminated in the program's 12th national championship run, has plenty of experience in the 3x3 game, having previously partaken in each of the Americans' last three gold medal runs at the FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup. She earned the MVP award at the end of last summer's competition in Hungary, which saw the Americans take down Japan for its eighth such title.

A 6-2 forward from North Carolina, Strong put forth a dominant freshman season in Storrs, averaging 16.1 points and 9.1 rebounds. She also became the first UConn rookie to score at least 600 points since the legendary Maya Moore in 2007-08. In addition to points, she also placed second in freshman assists (142) and steals (92).

Strong also set the Connecticut freshman record for total rebounds (356) and later set an NCAA Tournament for freshman scoring at 114 tallies, capping things off with a 24-point, 15-rebound double-double in the national title win over South Carolina.

Strong will be joined in the American effort by former Tennessee star Cierra Burdick, two-time U18 World Cup MVP and current LSU star Mikaylah Williams, and another SEC standout in Oklahoma's Sahara Williams. Team USA opens with a Friday morning showing against Czechia (10:15 a.m. ET, YouTube) before facing host nation France later in the day.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags