USA Women’s National Team to Train in Chicago, Take Part in NBA All-Star Weekend

COLORADO SPRINGS – A total of 15 athletes are slated to participate in a USA Women’s National Team three-day minicamp Feb. 14-16 in Chicago and participate in a variety of off-court activities during the NBA All-Star Weekend, including a USA open practice that follows the NBA All-Star Teams’ practices at Wintrust Arena on Feb. 15.

Included on the roster are 14 previously-named members of the USA National Team pool, including Sue Bird (Seattle Storm/Connecticut); Jordin Canada (Seattle Storm/UCLA); Layshia Clarendon (Connecticut Sun/California); Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx/Connecticut); Skylar Diggins-Smith (Dallas Wings/Notre Dame); Stefanie Dolson(Chicago Sky/Connecticut); Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx/Louisiana State); Chelsea Gray (Los Angeles Sparks/Duke); Kayla McBride (Las Vegas Aces/Notre Dame); Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks/Stanford); Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces/Washington); Katie Lou Samuelson (Chicago Sky/Connecticut); Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury/Connecticut); and A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces/South Carolina).

Additionally, Ariel Atkins (Washington Mystics/Texas), who joined the USA in Serbia for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, has officially been added to the USA National Team Pool and also will participate in the Chicago minicamp.

On Friday, Feb. 14, the USA will conduct a closed practice at Roosevelt University from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (all times CST), and team members will spend the afternoon making various appearances. Gray and Wilson will take part in the Special Olympics Unified Game (4 p.m.), and the duo will take part in the NBA Celebrity Game (6 p.m.)

On Saturday, Feb. 15, the USA team will arrive at Wintrust Arena in time to watch some of the All-Star practices. The U.S. will then hold an open practice at Wintrust Arena from 2-3:30 p.m. The practice will include team scrimmages and interactions with fans. Later that night the team will attend the All-Star Saturday Night festivities.

The USA squad will cap the weekend on Sunday, Feb. 16, with a 10 a.m.-12 p.m. closed practice at DePaul University before heading to the United Center for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.

Dawn Staley (South Carolina) is the head coach of the 2020 USA National Team.

Dan Hughes (Seattle Storm), Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) and Jennifer Rizzotti (George Washington), who assisted the USA to a gold medal at the 2018 FIBA World Cup and the 2019 FIBA AmeriCup, are serving as the 2019-20 USA National Team assistant coaches.

Staley and Rizzotti, due to commitments to their respective collegiate teams, will not be available for the Chicago camp, and Hughes and Reeve will serve as co-coaches.