Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

SPORTS Friday 15 december 2017
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Bird, Taurasi headline U.S. women’s hoops national team pool

By DOUG FEINBERG of them won’t participate
AP Basketball Writer in a training camp that will
NEW YORK (AP) — Sue Bird be held in South Carolina
and Diana Taurasi are back from Feb. 9-11. U.S. national
for another run with the U.S. team coach Dawn Stal-
women’s basketball team. ey said that Wilson, if her
The four-time Olympic gold class schedule permits, will
medalists are among the be around for the training
29 players chosen Thursday camp. “If she doesn’t have
for the national team pool. class, I want her to sit front
Eleven members of the and center to see how the
2016 Olympic team that Olympians, two-, three-,
won a sixth consecutive four-time Olympians oper-
gold medal for the Ameri- ate and approach things,”
cans are in the group. The Staley said. “I want the en-
only player missing from tire team to witness what
that team is Tamika Catch- it’s like to see our country’s
ings, who retired after the best athletes come togeth-
2016 WNBA season. er and practice and gear
“Our strength has always up to play.” Staley, who
been our best players play also coaches South Caro-
over and over. Our veteran lina’s women’s basketball
players want to play,” U.S. team, will be playing a dual
national team director Car- role that weekend, as her
ol Callan said. “They ap- Gamecocks are hosting
preciate representing our Florida on that Sunday.
country and being part of All 29 players in the pool
the USA Basketball culture. have previous international
We’ve selected athletes experience with USA Bas-
that are a mix of young ketball. They’ve combined
with the older players. We to win 100 gold, two silver In this Sept. 6, 2017 file photo, Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) talks with Seattle Storm
cover each position well.” and four bronze medals. guard Sue Bird (10) during the second half of a single-game WNBA basketball playoff matchup,
The U.S. already has quali- “The amount of experi- in Tempe, Ariz.
fied for next year’s FIBA ence that will be here in come to see our campus, Parker, who won Olympic to speak for them. I would
World Cup, which will be Columbia, South Carolina, our university, our city, our gold medals in 2008 and simply suggest you ask her.
held in Spain. There are five will be great. Working with state, quite sure they’ll find 2012 but did not make the Candace has been an
college players in the pool: the best players that our it very enjoyable besides team in 2016. “We gener- important part of our pro-
UConn’s Napheesa Col- country has to offer and the work we need to put ally don’t talk about play- gram over the years and
lier and Katie Lou Samuel- the 29 players that have in on the floor.” Callan said ers that aren’t here be- we talked about the deci-
son, South Carolina’s A’ja been invited,” Staley said. the pool is fluid and players cause there’s a variety of sion when she didn’t make
Wilson, Ohio State’s Kelsey “We want to share this ex- can be added. One play- reasons why they aren’t,” the Olympic roster. I don’t
Mitchell and Louisville’s perience, being at South er who it didn’t sound like Callan said. “She’s one of want to speak for her or try
Asia Durr. Most, if not all, Carolina, having them will be added is Candace them, we choose not to try to verbalize.”q

NBA selects Indianapolis

to host 2021 All-Star Game

By MICHAEL MAROT “I have this image in my er, Herb Simon.
AP Sports Writer head — Larry Bird, IndyCar, For the city, it’s a big addi-
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Larry Fifth Avenue,” Pacers presi- tion to what was already a
Bird’s final drive through dent of basketball opera- jam-packed schedule.
New York City paid off tions Kevin Pritchard said. “I Indy will host the annual
Wednesday. know, Commissioner, that boys and girls high school
Seven months after the had to have a big impact state championships, the
NBA Hall of Famer hand because he (Bird) lives and Big Ten women’s basket-
delivered the Indiana Pac- breathes Indiana basket- ball tournament and the
ers’ All-Star bid at league ball. We’re going to put on men’s Final Four in the first
headquarters in an Indy- a great show.” four months of 2021. Then
Car, Commissioner Adam Perhaps it was Bird’s the- the city will be the College NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, left, is joined by Indiana Pacers
Silver returned the favor by atrics or the long gap be- Football Playoff champion- owner Herb Simon, right, and Larry Bird, after he announced in
showing up at Bankers Life tween All-Star Games in ship game host site in 2022. Indianapolis, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017 that Indianapolis will
host the 2021 NBA All-Star game.
Fieldhouse to announce Indy. Now they can pencil in
the league’s big midsea- Whatever it was, Silver im- All-Star week and the Feb. tion center. Both are just a Silver said. “Then, it really
son bash was coming back plied something felt right 14 game on the calendar, few blocks from Indiana’s was the All-Star Game, one
to Indianapolis in February about playing such a mar- too. home court, Bankers Life day or one game. What it
2021. quee event in one of the To accommodate all of the Fieldhouse. has truly become now is an
It’s the first time the city nation’s biggest basketball league’s festivities, city offi- “A lot has changed since All-Star week of activities.”
will host the All-Star Game states and for the league’s cials plan to use Lucas Oil we last came here for an The impact of such an
since 1985. longest-tenured team own- Stadium and the conven- All-Star Game in the 1980s,” event also has changed.q