US Women’s Olympics Hoops Roster Announced, Other Countries Should Probably Forfeit

Some of the most decorated stars of women's basketball are heading back to the Olympic Games to represent Team USA, making them one of the most experienced teams in the world. 

For a third consecutive Olympics, the USA captured double gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics with both the men’s and women’s teams compiling an unblemished 8-0 records.

The USA men have captured the gold in 15 of the 18 Olympics in which they have competed and compiled an incredible 138-5 record, and the USA women have earned the gold six consecutive Olympics and boast a sterling 58-3 record, USA Basketball said.

Team USA said just half of the 12-player roster for the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team have previous Olympic experience, but that experience equals 15 gold medals.

Here’s a closer look at the 12 players looking to continue the U.S. gold medal standard in Tokyo — 2020 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team:

“USA Basketball has never been in a better place,” said U.S. head coach Dawn Staley in a news release. “… I’m so proud to be the coach of Team USA and like all of the coaches, support staff, and our players, I can’t wait to make America proud this summer.”

Staley, out of the University of South Carolina, is assisted by coaches Dan Hughes, along with Minnesota Lynx's Cheryl Reeve, and Connecticut Suns' Jennifer Rizzotti.

The XXXII Olympic Games women’s basketball competition will be held July 26-Aug. 8 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The American women will open Olympic preliminary round play on July 27 against 2019 FIBA Africa champion Nigeria at 12:40 a.m. EST, a news release states. The full schedule can be seen here.