Taurasi and Griner Named to 2016 U.S. Olympic Team

Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:28 PM

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The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury will be represented at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, as Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and center Brittney Griner were both named to the 12-member U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team roster Wednesday morning on NBC’s Today show. The Summer Olympics will begin Friday, August 5, and run through Sunday, August 21, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Already one of the most decorated women’s basketball players of all-time, Taurasi will appear in her fourth Olympics for the U.S. this summer (2004, 2008, 2012). Having already won three gold medals, the Phoenix guard will look to tie Teresa Edwards (4) and Lisa Leslie (4) for the most gold medals all-time by a women’s basketball player. Since her first Olympic appearance in the 2004, Taurasi has helped lead the U.S. to a 24-0 record over the past three Olympics. Currently ranked fifth all-time in U.S. Olympic career scoring (254 points), Taurasi holds the U.S. Olympic record for the most three-pointers made in a game with eight, a task she has accomplished three times.

Griner will add to what has already been an illustrious career with her first Olympic Games appearance in August. Griner was named to the USA Women’s Basketball National Team on August 1, 2011 following her senior season at Baylor. The 6-8 center’s first U.S. National Team experience came in 2011 when she averaged 12.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during the National Team’s European Tour. At the 2014 World Championships, Griner helped the U.S. take down Spain in the Title game and was named to the All-Star Five.

The WNBA will take a month-long hiatus as many of its players compete for their respective countries. Phoenix’s final game before the break will be July 19 at home, and the team will return to action at Talking Stick Resort Arena on August 26.