U.S. women's basketball: A unique culture
Bird, Taurasi, Moore among stars to come out of the basketball powerhouse
By Chicco Nacion, CBC Sports
The United States men's basketball team gets most of the glory, but it can be argued that the women have been just as dominant.
In nine Olympic Games, the U.S. women have won seven gold medals, including a current stretch of five straight. They've been crowned world champions in four of the past five tournaments and nine times overall.
The women's basketball culture in the U.S. is unique and there's a reason why they're in a league of their own.
Past alumni
Among the names to suit up for the stars and stripes include Naismith Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie and Dawn Staley.
The alumni helped boost the profile of women's basketball in the U.S. and paved the way for the program to be what it is today.
Diana Taurasi was drafted first overall by the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury after a standout collegiate career at the University of Connecticut. She's a WNBA MVP, All-Star, and a three-time Olympic gold medallist, but without the success of those that came before her, Taurasi knows she may never have reached those heights.
"We're at a point in women's basketball where it's serious... little girls who love playing should really take that in and go all the way with it," said Taurasi. "I remember driving to The Forum [in Los Angeles] and watching Lisa Leslie play. As a little kid, I had that dream. I had something to look forward to."
While playing in the WNBA was a dream for Taurasi and many aspiring female American basketball players, the feeling doesn't compare to suiting up for their country.
No higher honour
The U.S women's Olympic team is arguably one the toughest rosters to crack with its wealth of talent. As Taurasi puts it, she considers the squad as "12 of the best players in the entire world."
Sue Bird plays point guard for the WNBA's Seattle Storm and has been part of the national squad since 2000, including three Olympic gold medal runs.
"Wearing the team U.S.A. jersey is pretty much the best feeling," said Bird. "You've been picked one of 12, the 12 best in your sport from your country... there's really no higher honour in my opinion."
But the key isn't simply having the 12 best individual players, it's about choosing the players who will best complement one another.
There's no 'I' in team
When a collective group of individual stars come together, egos can clash. It's about buying in and sacrificing individual success for the best of the team.
Bird has earned the reputation of a "team player" during her career. As the point guard, she's one of the leaders. It's tangible qualities like this that are valued by the selection committee.
"What can you bring in terms of winning a gold medal that has nothing to do with basketball?" Bird said. "Everyone can shoot, everyone can dribble, what else can you bring?"
Dawn Staley is the head coach at the University of South Carolina and will be an assistant coach for the U.S. women's squad at the upcoming Olympics. As a player, she won three Olympic gold medals and served as an assistant coach during the 2008 Beijing Games.
"No one cares about who scored this or that," said Staley. "It is 'did we win?' It is that kind of selfless culture that I try to emulate with everything I do, every opportunity, every team I coach."
It's a template that many coaches have tried to emulate and there's very few better at this than U.S. women's head coach, Geno Auriemma.
Connecticut: Basketball dynasty
Bird, Taurasi and Maya Moore all share one thing in common — they played for Auriemma at the University of Connecticut.
It shouldn't be a surprise that the 62-year-old was chosen to lead the U.S. in Rio as he was at the helm of their last gold medal run in London.
He holds the highest winning percentage among NCAA basketball coaches (men or women) and with 11 national championships, Auriemma stands alone.
The foundation of his success is built on team principles. Players have defined roles within a system and are expected to perform in those roles to the best of their abilities.
"Coach Auriemma does a really good job of recruiting the type of player... that knows how to play within a team setting, within a team system," said Bird. "All the Connecticut players seem to do well and I think it's because they know how to play at a high level consistently and they know how to play within a team setting."
Canada's Kia Nurse may be the next big thing to come out of the basketball factory in Storrs, Conn., and while she's only 20 years old, past UConn alumni think very highly of her potential.
"She's a threat," said Moore. "As she gets older and under the tutelage of Coach Auriemma and some of her older teammates, she's going to continue to be a very great basketball for a long time."