Storm’s Bird selected to US Olympic Team

Published 10:59 pm Friday, March 30, 2012

Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird has been named to the 2012 U.S. Women’s Olympic team. USA Basketball announced the 11 members of the team on Friday.

It will be the third Olympic Games for Bird, who was part of the gold-medal winning teams in Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008).

“There is not greater honor than being selected to represent your country at the highest level,” Bird said in a press release. “You are picked out as one of the best in your sport and chosen to represent your country against every other countries best. The Olympics goes beyond sport and it’s a gift to be a part of them.”

The USA women are four-time defending champions and are seeking to capture a fifth straight and seventh gold medal overall at the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London.

Bird said that the stiffest competition for the U.S. will likely come from a familiar face — her Storm teammate Lauren Jackson, who plays for Team Australia.

“I think…the toughest competition is going to be Australia,” Bird said. “I think that’s a no-brainer. A lot of the European teams are moving up as well, but Australia’s the one.”

Bird, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings are all making their third Olympic appearance and join five other women as the only players in history to accomplish such a feat.

Bird will also get an opportunity to once again team up with Swin Cash, who was traded from Seattle to Chicago earlier in the offseason.

The entire Olympic team is as follows:

Seimone Augustus F Minnesota Lynx

Sue Bird G Seattle Storm

Swin Cash F Chicago Sky

Tamika Catchings F Indiana Fever

Tina Charles C Connecticut Sun

Sylvia Fowles C Chicago Sky

Angel McCoughtry F Atlanta Dream

Maya Moore F Minnesota Lynx

Candace Parker F/C/G Los Angeles Sparks

Diana Taurasi G/F Phoenix Mercury

Lindsay Whalen G Minnesota Lynx