Phoenix Mercury well-represented in 2016 Summer Olympics

Brittney Griner, picture courtesy usab.com

By Francisco Romero

Two members of the WNBA’s Phoenix mercury will be amongst the 12 women who represent the United Stats in Women’s Basketball in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Superstar Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner will wear the Stars and Strips jersey in search for a sixth straight gold medal.

“It’s an amazing honor. I love playing USA basketball, especially when I get to do it with two people that I have so much respect for (Geno Auriemma and Sue Bird), said Taurasi when she was introduced to the team earlier in the year.

Taurasi has been a member of three U.S. Olympic teams and looking for her fourth consecutive gold medal.

Brittney Griner, 25, was named to her first Olympic team; she previously competed on the USA National Team during its 2015 European Tour. Started two of three games played and averaged a team third-best 12.7 points per game.

“When I got the call, I was speechless. Just knowing that this will be my first Olympics that I’ll be able to go to and play in, I’ve always said that that’s the biggest stage you could play on. It doesn’t get any bigger than putting on that jersey and playing for gold. So, I was really, really excited,” said Griner after she was named to the Olympic team.

U.S. Olympic women’s basketball teams have earned a record seven gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal, and are 58-3 all-time in Olympic competition.

The 2016 U.S. team will enter Rio riding a 41-game Olympic winning streak that dates back to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics bronze medal game.

The 2016 Olympic Games will be held Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro. A total of 12 nations will compete in the Olympic women’s basketball competition.

Team U.S.A. will start preparing for the Olympics in Los Angeles, California on July 23^rd and will have a series of friendly games before heading to Brazil.