USA Basketball Training Camp Report: Day 1 in Seattle


Roster Set For USA National Team’s Camp

SEATTLE – Nineteen of the best women’s basketball players in the world came together Tuesday at Seattle Pacific University to commence USA Basketball’s latest training camp. The three-day affair will conclude Thursday with an exhibition against China at KeyArena (10 p.m. ET).

This is the USA’s third training camp in preparation for the 2018 FIBA World Cup, which takes place this coming September in Spain. The team also held camp in Santa Barbara last fall and in South Carolina in February.

Under former star player Dawn Staley – who will make her official debut as USA head coach against China – many of the WNBA’s brightest stars ran through drills, shooting competitions, five-on-five games and more on Tuesday. In addition to the coaches, Women’s National Team Director Carol Callan was in attendance as her staff continues to evaluate the roster for upcoming competitions.

Here are the top storylines from the first practice, featuring input from Staley and her players.

Veterans Still Paving the Way

The future of USA Basketball is undoubtedly bright. For the time being, however, it’s seasoned veterans like the Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird and the Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi that Staley relies on to set the tone in training camp. That was the case once again Tuesday for the two guards who own four Olympic gold medals apiece.

“I attribute the success of our training camps to the veteran leadership that we have,” Staley said. “Sue has never missed a training camp. Diana missed one, but she came even when she was injured. I think it’s great to have that kind of leadership in the gym, so the younger players can learn what it takes to be an incredible Olympian, an incredible ambassador of our game.”

“We take a lot of pride in coming here and making sure these kids are going to be ready to take the helm, whenever that is,” Taurasi said. “It might be next year. It might be after the Olympics. Who knows?”

Making their return to the National Team, Minnesota Lynx stars Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus were back with the squad for the first time since the 2016 Olympics. Fowles and Augustus have won three Olympic golds each, and their experience is crucial to the squad as they play under Staley for the first time.

“It’s a role that I played, and it’s a role that everyone is going to have to play, especially if you’re going to be around USA Basketball for this long,” Staley said. “You come back for a certain reason, and a lot of times, that reason is the culture. Assembling a World Cup and Olympic team takes quality people. It takes a great deal of sacrifice.”

Mitchell Trying to Prove She Belongs

There are zero newcomers to this training camp, as all 19 players have participated in at least one camp with the National Team. But Indiana Fever rookie Kelsey Mitchell says she still feels like one.

Other than UConn forward Napheesa Collier, Mitchell is the only participant in Seattle who hasn’t stepped foot on a WNBA court. She is hoping this experience will be beneficial when Fever training camp begins Sunday and she ultimately battles against these WNBA stars on a nightly basis.

“It’s a good experience with me, because I’m definitely one of the fresh ones out here,” Mitchell said. “I’m getting it early, understanding how to do things, with these guys teaching me how to do it while they can. I’m definitely grateful to be out here.

“They’re all vets to me. Anything that I can pick their brain about, I’m pretty sure they’re open to it. I’m happy about that part of it.”

The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, Mitchell said she was not thrilled with her performance on Tuesday. Still, she couldn’t ask for a better group to play alongside and is enjoying the opportunity to be coached by a legend.

“I love it. She’s very open,” Mitchell said of Staley. “She’s going to keep it 100 with you in regards to what you can and can’t do, and how stuff should be. I like her style. I like her mentality for the game and her passion for it, so I respect her with that. I’m going to keep learning from her.”

Difficult Roster Decisions Looming

Of the 19 players in Seattle this week, only 12 will be playing in Thursday’s game against China. The final roster will be announced by Staley and her staff Wednesday.

The current USA Basketball National Team pool consists of 28 players, and players like New York Liberty center Tina Charles, Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore and Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner are among the big names not in attendance this week. Just as difficult decisions will be made this week, the roster for this year’s FIBA World Cup and the 2020 Olympics will ultimately be cut to 12, too.

“You don’t get cut. It’s a numbers game,” Taurasi said. “You only get 12, and you have to put the 12 that work together the best. Sometimes it’s not the 12 best players in the world, but it’s the 12 that work together the best and make each other a great team. That’s always the hardest job. One of the hardest jobs that the coaches and committee have is nailing it down to 12 compatible players, and they’ve always seemed to do a pretty good job of doing that.”

“I wouldn’t want that job,” Staley said of determining the final roster. “I’m glad that I’m not part of it and I’m not on the committee. You have the best players in the world, and you have to send some of them home. It’s a tough job. But I think the players understand why they come here. You have to continue to come to these training camps and put yourself in front of the committee. You get a great opportunity to be seen.”