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2002 USA Team Nearly Complete With Addition Of Three USA Basketball Veterans. |
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August 8, 2002
Dates: Sept. 14 - 25, 2002 USA Head Coach: Van Chancellor (Houston Comets) USA Team: Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Tamecka Dixon, Shannon Johnson, Lisa Leslie, DeLisha Milton, Katie Smith, Dawn Staley, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Natalie Williams. One additional player to be named at a later date. 16 Teams Qualified: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Chinese
Taipei, Cuba, France, Japan, Lithuania, Russia, Senegal, South Korea,
Spain, Tunisia, United States, Yugoslavia. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The 2002 USA Basketball Women's World Championship Team fortified by three internationally experienced athletes in 2000 Olympic gold medalist DeLisha Milton (Los Angeles Sparks), as well as Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) and Tamecka Dixon (Los Angeles Sparks), who have been selected to the eventual 12-member U.S. team roster by the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team Committee. The 14th FIBA World Championship for Women will feature national teams from 16 nations competing in nine cities in the People's Republic of China Sept. 14-25. Bird, Dixon and Milton join previously announced 2002 U.S. World Championship team members Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever); Shannon Johnson (Orlando Miracle); Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks); Katie Smith (Minnesota Lynx); Dawn Staley (Charlotte Sting); Sheryl Swoopes (Houston Comets); Tina Thompson (Houston Comets) and Natalie Williams (Utah Starzz). "First of all, we're adding some real experience in DeLisha Milton," said USA and Houston Comets head coach Van Chancellor. "She has had experience on national teams in the past and knows what it takes to win at this level. She also give us some size and strength to help fortify our inside game. And we thought we also needed to have some more ball handling, some people who could make plays. I think that Dixon and Bird fill the bill. I'm happy with the team the Committee has put together, we've got strengths at every position and I think we have the right mix to go over there and make a run for the gold medal." SUE BIRD "It would be an awesome year (to win a national and world title in 2002)," added Bird. "Obviously, playing for USA Basketball is something that I've dreamed about, something I've always wanted to do, always aspired to do. That would be an incredible year for me, to finish it off that way." Bird has thrice donned a USA Basketball uniform, first as a member of the gold medal winning 2000 USA R. William Jones Cup Team that posted a perfect 4-0 record in Taipei, Taiwan. Starting all four games, Bird passed off for a team high 4.3 assists per game, while adding 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds a game. The 5-9 guard returned less than two months later as a member of the 2000 USA Basketball Select Team that fell 97-31 to the eventual gold medal winning 2000 U.S. Olympic Team in an exhibition contest on Sept. 3, 2000. Going up against the best in the world, Bird passed off for three assists and collected two rebounds. Most recently she joined in on the final two days of the 2002 USA Basketball Women's National Team spring training in Colorado Springs. "That was kind of a weird day," commented Bird on the impression she left following her workout with members of the USA National Team. "I had just finished my college season, I walked off the plane and literally walked onto the court. I didn't know what to expect. I just wanted to go in there, (USA Basketball Assistant Executive Director for Women's Programs) Carol Callan told me to go out and have some fun, so I just did that. It was great to meet everybody and to get a feel of what it would be like to play with them. I don't know if it helped, but I'm definitely excited right now." Selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, Bird went on to earn a starting position as a rookie in the 2002 All-Star Game. Bird passed off for a WNBA All-Star Game record seven assists, scored two points and grabbed five rebounds in the West's 81-76 victory over the East. Through 26 games, Bird is averaging a team second best 14.7 points, while ranking first in the league in free throw percentage (91.1%) and second in assists, averaging 6.0 per game for the 15-14 Storm (through games of 8/7/02). Recently capping her four-years (1998-99 to 2001-02) at the University of Connecticut with a perfect 39-0 record and her second NCAA title, Bird finished her collegiate career as the 2002 Naismith Player of the Year and 2002 Wade Trophy recipient, and was named 2002 Player of the Year by the Associated Press (A.P.) and U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Bird also was presented with the first annual Senior CLASS award in 2002, which is bestowed upon the nation's top senior basketball player. During the 2002 Final Four, Bird averaged 16.0 points and 4.5 assists a game to earn 2002 All-Final Four honors, and also was named in 2002 the NCAA Mideast Region Most Outstanding Player, Big East Conference Player of the Year and to the Big East All-Tournament Team. Additionally, Bird is a three-time (2000, 2001, 2002) Conseco/Nancy Lieberman-Cline National Point Guard of the Year honoree, and earned the 2002 Honda Award as the Women's College Basketball Player of the Year and collected the 2002 ESPY as the top Female College Athlete of the Year. All told, with Bird on the roster, Connecticut posted a 136-9 record (93.8 winning percentage), won a pair of NCAA crowns (2000, 2002) while advancing to four NCAA Tournaments, including the 2001 Final Four, and earned four Big East regular season and tournament titles. She currently ranks 18th among all-time UConn career leaders in points (1,378), is tied for second in 3-point field goals made (207), owns the records for 3-point field goal percentage (45.9%) and free throw percentage (89.2%), and lists second in assists (585) and seventh in steals (243). © 2002 USA Basketball, Inc. |
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