Meet the U.S. women’s basketball team for the Tokyo Olympics

The U.S. women’s basketball team for the Tokyo Olympics was revealed on Monday morning on the TODAY show.

The roster is headlined by Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, who were named to their fifth U.S. Olympic team. In Tokyo, Bird and Taurasi could become the first basketball players (of any gender) to win five Olympic gold medals.

At the Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. women can tie the Olympic basketball record of seven consecutive gold medals. The American squad has won their last 49 Olympic contests, dating to the semifinals of the 1992 Barcelona Games.

The team is led by head coach Dawn Staley, who was a member of the U.S. Olympic team that won the first three gold medals in the current streak (1996, 2000, 2004).

Meet the 2021 U.S. women’s basketball roster for the Tokyo Olympics:

Ariel Atkins – Guard – Washington Mystics

Ariel Atkins, a 2019 WNBA champion with the Washington Mystics, will be making her Olympic debut in Tokyo.

Sue Bird – Guard – Seattle Storm

Sue Bird will make making her fifth Olympic appearance in Tokyo, where along with Taurasi, she could become the first basketball player to win five Olympic gold medals.
At age 40, Bird could also become the oldest basketball player to ever win an Olympic medal.

Tina Charles – Center – Washington Mystics

Tina Charles, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, will be making her third Olympic appearance in Tokyo.
Charles, 32, is a seven-time WNBA all-star (most recently in 2019).

Napheesa Collier – Guard/Forward – Minnesota Lynx

Napheesa Collier will be making her Olympic debut in Tokyo as the youngest member of the U.S. women’s basketball team at age 24.
Since graduating from UConn in 2019, she has played for the Minnesota Lynx, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2019.

Skylar Diggins-Smith – Guard – Phoenix Mercury

Skylar Diggins-Smith will be making her Olympic debut at age 30.
Diggins-Smith, a four-time WNBA all-star, took the 2019 season off after giving birth to her son.

Sylvia Fowles – Center – Minnesota Lynx

Sylvia Fowles, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, made her debut at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Fowles, 35, has also won two WNBA titles (2015, 2017), both with the Minnesota Lynx.

Chelsea Gray – Guard – Las Vegas Aces

Chelsea Gray, 28, will be making her Olympic debut in Tokyo.
Gray, a three-time WNBA all-star, won a WNBA title in 2016 as a member of the Los Angeles Sparks.

Brittney Griner – Center – Phoenix Mercury

Brittney Griner will be aiming for a second gold medal after helping the U.S. finish on top of the podium at the 2016 Rio Games.
In addition to her Olympic gold medal, Griner has also helped the U.S. claim the last two World Cup titles (2014, 2018).

Jewell Loyd – Guard – Seattle Storm

Jewell Loyd was a member of the U.S. team that won World Cup gold in 2018, but the Tokyo Games will mark her Olympic debut.
Loyd, 27, is a two-time WNBA champion (2018, 2020) with the Seattle Storm.

Breanna Stewart – Forward – Seattle Storm

Breanna Stewart made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she was the youngest member of the U.S. women’s basketball team (21).
Since Rio, Stewart has made an incredible comeback from injury: she ruptured her Achilles tendon while playing overseas in 2019, but returned to the court the following year to help the Seattle Storm win the 2020 WNBA title. She was unanimously named WNBA Finals MVP.

Diana Taurasi – Guard – Phoenix Mercury

Diana Taurasi already owns four Olympic gold medals and in Tokyo, along with Bird, she could become the first basketball player to ever win five.
Taurasi, who is a three-time WNBA champion with the Phoenix Mercury (2007, 2009, 2014), is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Since Rio, Taurasi has become a mom. Her wife, former Mercury teammate Penny Taylor, gave birth to their son Leo in 2018.

A’ja Wilson – Forward – Las Vegas Aces

A’ja Wilson, the 2020 WNBA regular season MVP, will be making her Olympic debut in Tokyo.
Wilson has plenty of experience playing under head coach Dawn Staley. She is the only member of the 2021 U.S. women’s basketball roster that went to South Carolina.

By the Numbers: 2021 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team

Average age: 29
Olympic veterans: 6 players (Bird, Taurasi, Fowles, Charles, Griner, Stewart)
Olympic rookies: 6 players (Atkins, Collier, Diggins-Smith, Gray, Loyd, Wilson)
Most represented WNBA team: Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm (3 players each)
Most represented college: UConn (5 players)

This story will continue to be updated.

NBC Sports’ Rachel Thompson contributed to this report.

Follow Alex Azzi on Twitter @AlexAzziNBC

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Meet the U.S. women’s basketball team for the Tokyo Olympics originally appeared on NBCSports.com

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