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From 'Female Shaq' to 'Gold Mamba': 10 women's basketball players to know for the Paris Games
The women’s Olympic basketball tournament, which features some of the best players in the world (but not Caitlin Clark of the United States), tips off Sunday in Paris.
Team USA, aiming for its eighth straight Olympic gold medal, begins play Monday against Japan. The Americans have the best players, but they aren't the only ones who excel at the sport.
Here are 10 players to watch:
Li Yueru | China
Gotta love this: She's nicknamed the "Female Shaquille O'Neal" by Chinese basketball fans.
The 6-foot-7 center averaged 14.8 points per game on 78.6% shooting at the 2021 Olympics. Against Team USA in the 2022 FIBA World Cup final, she scored 19 points on 80% shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds for China, ranked second in the world.
Gabby Williams | France
Gotta love this: Williams, who holds dual U.S.-French citizenship, qualified as an alternate in the high jump at the 2012 Olympic Games for the United States before choosing to commit fully to basketball.
The former UConn star played on the 2021 Olympics bronze-medal team for France. In the WNBA in 2023, she averaged 8.4 points for the Seattle Storm, but she has not played in the league since because of the WNBA's prioritization rule.
Diana Taurasi | United States
Gotta love this: At 42, the Phoenix Mercury star is by far the oldest player in the WNBA. Nicknamed "White Mamba," a nod to Kobe Bryant, she's aiming to become the first basketball player to win six Olympic gold medals.
The WNBA’s all-time leading scorer was averaging 16.1 points in WNBA play ahead of her last Olympics. Team USA is 38-0 with Taurasi.
Satou Sabally | Germany
Gotta love this: She's the highest-drafted German pro basketball player ever — yes, higher than Dirk Nowitzki, the former Dallas Mavericks superstar and Hall of Famer.
The Dallas Wings forward, who hasn't played in the WNBA this season while recovering from an injury, averaged 18.6 points and 8.1 rebounds and shot an impressive 36.1% from three in 2023.
In the friendly versus Team USA on Tuesday, Sabally struggled shooting.
Ezi Magbegor | Australia
Gotta love this: She's described by teammates as a "super helper" on and off the court.
The Seattle Storm star is hitting her stride as Australia looks to medal for the first time since 2012. Magbegor is averaging 2.4 blocks per game in the WNBA this season, second behind U.S. star A'ja Wilson.
Shooting 50.2% from the field in the WNBA this season, she's one of the best two-way women's basketball players in Paris.
Jewell Loyd | United States
Gotta love this: The Seattle Storm star aims to emulate the Olympic scoring dominance of her late friend, Kobe Bryant.
She's not shooting with great efficiency in the WNBA this season (35.8%), but the "Gold Mamba" — a nickname Bryant gave her — set the season league scoring record last season (939 points).
Alyssa Thomas | United States
Gotta love this: Every time Thomas scores for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun at home, the sound of a revving engine plays over the speakers.
Crowned the "Triple-Double Queen" of the WNBA, the 32-year-old forward is a weapon off the bench for the Americans. Second only to Clark in assists per game in the WNBA (7.7), Thomas has great court vision, especially in transition.
Emma Meesseman | Belgium
Gotta love this: Her mother was the Belgian Women’s Basketball Player of the Year in 1983.
Meesseman, who last played in the WNBA in 2022, has taken Belgium from hopeful prospects to legitimate contenders. Leading up to this year's Olympics, Team USA head coach Cheryl Reeve called Meesseman one of the top-five players in the world.
The Belgian earned WNBA Finals MVP with the Washington Mystics in 2019.
Breanna Stewart | United States
Gotta love this: The two-time gold medalist owns more than 100 pairs of shoes,
The 29-year-old led Team USA with 31 points in its exhibition showdown versus the WNBA All-Stars on July 20. The New York Liberty forward averages 19.3 points and is one of only 11 athletes to win an Olympic gold medal, FIBA World Cup gold medal, WNBA championship and NCAA championship.
A'ja Wilson | United States
Gotta love this: She owns Burnt Wax Candles and names candles after career accomplishments.
The Las Vegas Aces center is running away with the WNBA MVP title, leading the league in points (27.2 PPG), rebounds (12 RPG) and blocks (2.9 BPG).
In the final international friendly before the Americans tip off in Paris, the WNBA's best player tallied 19 points and 14 rebounds versus Germany.
More must-reads:
- Mercury, WNBA legend Diana Taurasi admits Paris 2024 will be her last Olympic Games
- Olympics women’s basketball picks: ‘WNBA Buckets’ best bets
- The 'NFL all-time touchdown receptions leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Steelers reporter shares big claim about how Aaron Rodgers has looked in training camp
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Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg dies after battle with cancer
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