Why the United States Olympic women’s basketball team is invincible

The United States women’s basketball team has made the Olympics their own personal playground for decades. The dominant stretch has continued during the 2024 Paris Games, as the Americans have put the pedal to the metal against the world. We’ll take a look at their historic run of brilliance, and why it should continue for years to come.

As verified by CBS Sports, the United States women have not lost a game in the Olympics since 1992. It’s remarkable to think that 30-year-old adults who follow sports or the U.S. women’s team have not seen them lose even once in their lifetime.

It’s hard to believe that a team with this much sustained, demonstrated brilliance can somehow be underrated, but there’s an argument to be made that the United States women are. Most of the basketball attention is focused on the men’s team, but even they have faltered from time to time during the Olympics and in major international competition.

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As is often the case in sports, pressure and unrelenting attention can break the rhythm a team establishes. In some ways, playing without the immense spotlight should continue to help the United States women’s basketball team, which is bad news for opponents looking for an extra edge coming into games.

At times during the 2024 Olympics, the United States women seemed to be more concerned with putting on a show, since the outcome of the games are rarely in doubt. That was evidenced in a win against Japan, when guard Diana Taurasi held the ball up above her head, out of the reach of a smaller Japanese defender.

It would be natural for the United States to want to outscore their opponents night in and night out, but they seem to bring the energy and hustle it takes to make winning plays on defense.

In what was a signature effort, the United States limited Germany to just 10 points in the second quarter of their final group stage game. NBC Sports also noted that Germany committed eight turnovers in the period alone, as the Americans dialed up the defensive intensity.

Certain countries would rest on their laurels after such a statement against a quality opponent, but the United States remains hungry for more. A’ja Wilson told NBC Sports, “We came here to go to Paris for the knockout stage, and that’s the main goal. I’m glad we were able to do this. We’re going to enjoy it, but we’re not satisfied.”

Throughout various points, the interest of NBA stars in playing for their country at the Olympics has waned. However, that has not been the case on the women’s side. The best American players take the Olympics extremely seriously, which significantly decreases the possibility of a loss in the near future.

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Team USA head coach Cheryl Reeve told ESPN, “We’re not the USA dynasty without it. I think it’s what defines the dynasty is the depth of talent that the USA has.”

Germany’s head coach Lisa Thomaidis talked about how difficult it was to prepare for such a deep team. She told ESPN, “The athleticism and the skill level they can bring off the bench, I mean you’re bringing Brittney Griner off the bench. I mean that’s just, that’s just another level.”

Just before heading to France, the United States women’s national team actually lost a game, but it wasn’t to another country. It was to a group of 2024 WNBA All-Stars, led by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

There was a lot of dialogue surrounding Caitlin Clark’s exclusion from the Olympic roster, given that she is already one of the most popular and skilled WNBA players as a rookie. The team hasn’t missed a beat without her, but it only points to another way in which the United States women remain dominant in the 2028 Olympics.

Clark is known for her three-point shooting range, but has proven during her rookie season that she is a dynamic passer as well. Former WNBA star Rebecca Lobo told Sports Illustrated that Clark is the best passer in the league, already. Ball movement makes an already great team even more difficult to stop, which Clark would add to at the national level.

The United States women also tend to have the size advantage in the paint, which allows them to control the glass even if they don’t have a rhythm offensively.

With this point in mind, Angel Reese should have a field day controlling the boards in future Olympics, which greatly reduces the chances of a team pulling an upset on the United States.

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