Morgan Tuck and Courtney Williams of the Connecticut Sun are among the 22 athletes in Columbia, South Carolina this weekend to take part in the USA Basketball Women’s National Team’s three-day minicamp.
The Sun’s Chiney Ogwumike was also among the 29 athletes named to the 2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team pool, from which the 2018 USA World Cup team is expected to be selected.
Connecticut Sun General Manager and Head Coach Curt Miller, who was chosen to serve on the 2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee, is also in attendance. During his tenure, Miller will help select the 2018 USA World Cup Team and, should the USA qualify, the 2020 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball team.
Williams recently completed a strong season in Perth, Australia, where she was named MVP of her team after averaging 21.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, four assists and 2.2 steals over 22 games. Tuck also had an exceptional overseas campaign, averaging a team-best 29.5 points and nine rebounds over 26 games in China with Shaanxi Tianze.
Tuck and Williams are part of a group that is preparing for the 2018 FIBA Basketball World Cup for Women, which will be held September 22-30 in Tenerife, Spain.
The USA owns a record nine gold medals (1953, 1957, 1979, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014), one silver medal (1983) and two bronze medals (1994 and 2006) in FIBA World Cup play, while compiling an all-time 103-21 record at the event. In 2014, the most recent World Cup, the U.S. took the gold medal, while Spain captured silver and Australia won bronze.
Only three other nations have claimed gold at the World Cup. The former Soviet Union earned six gold medals, including five straight from 1959-1975 and earned its final gold in 1983. Brazil earned gold in 1994 and Australia took its lone gold medal in 2006.