It’s now official.
Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu have been named to the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, the team announced Tuesday. It’ll be the first time ever that two Liberty teammates will represent the USA at the Olympics Games, which are set to begin next month in Paris.
The roster — minus rookie star Caitlin Clark — was leaked last week.
“I think the potential to be on this Olympic team obviously always an honor,” Stewart said on Sunday before the final roster was announced. “Really excited to be able to represent Team USA in Paris because the last Olympics, it was [during] COVID. There [were] no friends and family. There [were] no fans.”
🇺🇸🔟 @breannastewart #USABWNT pic.twitter.com/H0tk3Qi6NR
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) June 11, 2024
The 2024 Paris Game will be Stewart’s third Olympics. She won gold at the 2016 Rio Games and 2020 Tokyo Games with Team USA. She is currently averaging 18.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.0 block with the Liberty this season. She also ranks third all-time in field goal percentage on Team USA (.733) in an Olympic tournament, following her performance at the Rio 2016 Summer Games.
Ionescu will make her Olympic team debut. This is the sharpshooter’s second time joining Team USA, as she participated in the 2022 World Cup in Sydney, which led the United States to qualify for the Paris Games. The two-time All-Star is currently averaging 17.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists with the Liberty in 2024.
🇺🇸6⃣ @sabrina_i20 #USABWNT pic.twitter.com/kqh9L4ufir
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) June 11, 2024
Ionescu said Sunday her inclusion on the Olympic team “would mean everything” considering her initial start with Team USA as an uninvited member on the U-16 squad a decade ago.
Stewart and Ionescu join four Liberty players named to Olympic rosters in franchise history — Tina Charles (USA, 2016), Rebecca Allen (Australia, 2020), Han Xu (China, 2020) and Marine Johannès (France, 2020). Current Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello will participate in her sixth career Olympic games with Australia and second as the Opals’ head coach.
“I’m super excited for our players that got in it,” the head coach said Sunday about her Liberty stars. “Obviously, Stewie that was a no-brainer anyway. Sabrina, she’s earned this. And she deserves it.”
Introducing the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s National Team 🇺🇸
Congratulations to the 12 that secured a roster spot representing @usabasketball, go make history this summer! #USABWNT pic.twitter.com/Hiln8E5DvH
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 11, 2024
Ionescu and Stewart will be joined by a long list of stars that’ll make Team USA heavy favorites to win it all in Paris. The Americans have won seven consecutive Olympic titles.
Las Vegas Aces stars Chelsea Gray, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will be in attendance. The Phoenix Mercury will be well represented with Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi and Kahleah Copper joining Team USA. The Paris Games will be Taurasi’s sixth time representing the squad in the Olympics.
Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas, Seattle’s Jewel Loyd and Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier round out the final 12.
