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Today it was announced that both veteran guard, Sue Bird, and number one overall draft pick, Breanna Stewart, have made the Women's United States National Team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Jewell Loyd, was also a finalist but sadly did not make it onto the final roster spot.
For Bird, this will be her fourth time playing for the US Olympic team. She had stated previously this was a goal of hers, to have a chance to win a fourth gold medal before she retired. Bird won Olympic Gold medals in 2004 - Athens, 2008 - Beijing, and in 2012 - London. Bird will join the Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi and the Indiana Fever's Tamika Catchings, who will also be going for their fourth Olympic Gold medal.
Sue Bird told the AP, "In some ways, it has even more meaning than the first three. Mainly I think it's because that when you are young, the tendency is to take things for granted. You just think these things are going to happen year after year or every four years. But now that I am older, I see that I am really lucky. Really lucky to be here, and I'm really excited and honored."
Breanna Stewart has had an incredible whirlwind 2016 and it just continues. Her, along with the UConn Women's basketball team just went undefeated in college basketball and won their fourth straight National Title earlier this month. Stewart was also named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player for a fourth consecutive year. Then she was drafted number one overall, by the Seattle Storm in the WNBA Draft on April 14th. She's been on Good Morning America and ESPN studios. Last Sunday, she started training camp with the Seattle Storm. And today she has been named to the 2016 United States Women's Olympic National Team.
"When I saw that [National Team Director Carol Callan] was calling, I had a mini heart attack," Stewart told the AP. "And then I answered it, and obviously I knew who was calling. But when she congratulated me, I was speechless. I did not know what to say. I was so excited about the opportunity to play this summer in Rio. I've had a lot of great things happen throughout my career, but when you look at the opportunity to be able to go to the Olympics, that was my biggest goal in basketball. It was the highest goal that I had set for myself."
It is also expected that other Storm players, Abby Bishop (Australia) and Ramu Tokashiki (Japan) will also play in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics for their respective countries.
The rest of team USA Roster is below:
Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx)
Sue Bird (Seattle Storm)
Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever)
Tina Charles (New York Liberty)
Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky)
Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx)
Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)
Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream)
Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx)
Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm)
Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)
Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx)
http://www.usab.com/womens/national-team/roster.aspx