39 Current and Former WNBA Players Comprise 2008 Olympics Basketball Rosters

By the WNBA
Posted Friday, August 8, 2008

NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2008 – Today the IOC officially posted complete rosters for each of the 12 women’s basketball teams competing in the 2008 Olympic Games. The WNBA is heavily represented with 39 current and former players among those who will go for the gold beginning Saturday, Aug. 9. In all, a current or former WNBA player dots the roster of 10 of the 12 countries participating in this year’s Olympics.

Each of the 12 members of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team currently play in the WNBA, led by three-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks) and two-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Smith (Detroit Shock). Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) and Tina Thompson (Houston Comets) also return from the gold-medal winning 2004 U.S. Olympic Team in Athens while DeLisha Milton-Jones (Los Angeles Sparks) previously won gold with the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team in Sydney.

First-time Olympians for the United States include rookie standouts Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) and Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky) as well as Kara Lawson (Sacramento Monarchs), Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx) and Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix Mercury). Collectively, the U.S. Olympic Team boasts 10 gold medals and will go for their fourth Olympic gold in a row.

The Australian Olympic Team features eight current or former WNBA players, led by reigning WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson (Seattle Storm) and Tully Bevilaqua (Indiana Fever).

Several other active WNBA players will appear in Beijing. Becky Hammon (San Antonio Silver Stars) will play for the Russian Olympic squad, while Hamchetou Maiga-Ba (Houston Comets) will represent Mali and Kelly Santos (Seattle Storm) will play for Brazil.

Current WNBA rosters featuring more than one Olympian include the Los Angeles Sparks (3- Leslie, Parker, Milton-Jones), Seattle Storm (3- Bird, Jackson, Santos), Phoenix Mercury (2- Taurasi, Pondexter), Houston Comets (2- Thompson, Maiga-Ba) and Indiana Fever (2- Catchings, Bevilaqua).

Coaches also bring WNBA pedigrees as well. Former WNBA head coaches Anne Donovan (Charlotte Sting, Fever, Storm) and Tom Maher (Washington Mystics) will coach the United States and China, respectively while current Connecticut Sun head coach Mike Thibault will serve as an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Team. Two former WNBA players will also serve as assistant coaches. Dawn Staley, previously a star player with the Sting and Comets, joins Donovan’s staff and Michele Timms, an original player for the Mercury, will assist Maher.

The 2008 WNBA season will resume play on Aug. 28 following the Olympics. A complete list of Olympic basketball players with WNBA experience follows.