Four WNBA players make up US Olympic 3x3 basketball team
Kelsey Plum, Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray and Katie Lou Samuelson, who helped the United States qualify for the inaugural 3x3 Olympic competition in women's basketball, will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Games next month.
The four WNBA players will all be participating in their first Olympics.
"These four players not only are outstanding athletes, but they will be excellent representatives for our country in this new Olympic discipline," USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said. "All four have significant USA Basketball experience and most recently won the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifier, which earned this 3x3 berth to Tokyo."
Plum plays for the Las Vegas Aces, Dolson for the Chicago Sky, Gray for the Dallas Wings and Samuelson for the Seattle Storm.
All four players were in the U.S. 5-on-5 national team pool, but were chosen instead for the new Olympic discipline.
The team qualified for the Olympics by winning a tournament in Austria. The men's 3x3 team didn't qualify for the Olympics.
Connecticut Sun's DeWanna Bonner (24) tries to stop Chicago Sky center Stefanie Dolson (31) during a WNBA basketball game Saturday, June 19, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Eileen T. Meslar)
There will be seven teams joining the U.S. in Tokyo - China, Mongolia, Romania, Russia, France, Japan and Italy.
The 3x3 game is played on a half court with a 12-second shot clock and the winner is the first team to score 21 points or to be leading at the end of a 10-minute period. Baskets inside the arc are worth one point and shots outside it are worth two.
The team will train in Las Vegas before traveling to Tokyo.
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Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) shoots next to New York Liberty guard Jazmine Jones during a WNBA basketball game Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Connecticut Sun forward Emma Cannon commits the foul on Dallas Wings guard Alisha Gray during the seconds half of a WNBA basketball game Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day via AP)
