The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will kick off later this month, which means that Team USA are out to defend their title in the women’s basketball side of things. But will they be able to come back to home soil with another gold? In this preview, we will take a look at the favorites, a sleeper, and a long shot to win the gold medal in women’s basketball. Read on more about them below.
Make no mistake about it. Team USA is still the team to beat in the women’s basketball tournament this coming Olympics in Tokyo. Team USA has won every gold medal in this event since 1996 and will be bannered this year by many of the best players in the WNBA, like Breanna Stewart, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Tina Charles. There won’t be a lack of experience either on the side of Team USA as it also has Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. When it comes to size, the Americans will have 6-9 Brittney Griner down low alongside Slyvia Fowles and 6-5 A’ja Wilson. Speaking of Fowles, she has three Olympic gold medals. As for their coaching staff, it will be headed by Dawn Staley, a decorated Olympic winner herself, as she was part of USA teams that won the gold in 1996, 2000, and 2004.
If there’s one team that should be posing as the biggest threat to the Americans, that would be the Opals. Australia’s national women’s basketball team is stacked with elite talent. Its composition boasts of a nice blend of quickness, size, grit, and experience. Las Vegas Aces star Liz Cambage is literally and figuratively a big asset for the Australians. The 6-8 center is averaging 14.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in the WNBA this season. She will be surrounded by other WNBA standouts like Rebecca Allen, Ezi Magbegor, Leilani Mitchell, Allan Smith, and Stephanie Talbot. Australia did not medal in 2016, but it took home the silver medal in three of the last five editions of the tournament.
China is one team the favorites shouldn’t be sleeping on. The Chinese had an impressive qualifying tournament in 2020 where they went 3-0. They even earned a win over Spain. Meng Li is the player to watch out for China and she should get plenty of help from the duo of Xu Han and Yueru Li.
Korea should just be happy that they qualified to play in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as it’s not even expected by experts to get past the group stage. The Koreans have not won a game in international play in their last seven tries, but who knows, perhaps playing in Asia could have a huge impact on the team that’s currently ranked 19th in the world.
Writer’s Prediction
Team USA wins the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Women’s basketball tournament.
