While Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Candace Parker, Sylvia Fowles, Cappie Pondexter, Seimone Augustus and Kara Lawson are guaranteed a spot on the team, the fourteen other players are not. They will have to earn a spot even though they were invited to camp. Coach Geno Auriemma is probably thrilled to have a variety of former UCONN players at his disposal. In addition to Bird and Taurasi, he will always have the pleasure of coaching Swin Cash, Ashja Jones, Maya Moore, and Tina Charles as well (at least for the duration of camp).

Geno Auriemma is probably thrilled to have so many former UCONN players in the U.S. women's basketball pool.

Rounding out the chosen fourteen are Jayne Appel, Alana Beard, Shameka Christon, Candice Dupree, Lindsey Harding, Ebony Hoffman, Crystal Langhorne, Angel McCoughtry, Lindsay Whalen, and Candice Wiggins.

Regardless of who makes the final roster, it looks as though the U.S. women’s basketball team is going to be an amazing one. Would we expect any less?

According to ESPN, The U.S. team will train in Washington for a week before heading to Russia to play in a tournament.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

14 More Players Invited To US Camp

Last week, WNBA All-Star Lauren Jackson found out she had a severe back injury that would keep her out for the rest of the season.

This week, gold medalist and WNBA All-Star Kara Lawson announced that she will miss the rest of the WNBA season with the Sacramento Monarchs due to tendinitis in her right quadriceps muscle. (Ouch.)

Kara Lawson is out for the season with tendinitis.

Lawson, a seven-year veteran, was recently chosen for the U.S. women’s national basketball team. She was one of eight players selected, which speaks to her ability as a point guard.

Chamique Holdsclaw, Lisa Leslie, Katie Douglas, and DeLisha Milton-Jones were all injured at some point this season (among others). Are the veteran’s just getting worn down?

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

WNBA Veteran’s Continue To Get Hurt

UCONN standouts, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, will reunite with their former head coach at USA basketball camp. Tamika Catchings, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter, Kara Lawson, Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus round out the rest of the eight.

“Naming these eight players was not that difficult of a decision to make, I’m sure, because those eight were truly instrumental in winning the Olympics in Beijing,” Auriemma said, according to Yahoo! Sports.

The U.S. women’s basketball team will start training and practicing together at the end of September. Additional athletes and coaches will also be selected to participate.

Considering how many WNBA standouts there are, filling up the rest of the roster shouldn’t be too hard. You can expect Team USA to bring home a gold medal in 2012. (That’s right. I’m guaranteeing a win … two years ahead of schedule!)

Enjoy some behind-the-scenes- footage of 2008’s Gold Medal Winning Team:

Post from: EveryJoe

8 Players Picked For Team USA