The WNBA may be on a month-long break, but women’s basketball is still in the air.

Last Friday, the 2024 Paris Olympics held open ceremonies along the River Seine, officially beginning the 30th Summer Olympic Games across France. For France, it is its sixth time hosting the Olympic Games, most recently hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.

In women’s basketball at Paris, a record number of active WNBA players are participating in the summer games. Led by the United States with a full roster of 12 WNBA players, Australia boasts the second most with six active players and Canada is not far behind with four.

The U.S. women’s national team is searching for its eighth straight gold medal performance in the Olympics, holding the streak since its bronze finish in 1992.

Among 11 WNBA teams in the Paris Olympics, the Sparks are tied for second with four competing players. Head coach Curt Miller serves as a scout for the USA women’s basketball national team along with the players.

The Talk of Troy will update the story with results throughout the group and knockout stages.

Dearica Hamby

Country: United States

Position: Forward

Event: 3x3 Basketball

The Sparks leader and 2024 All-Star is making her Olympics debut in the 2024 Games. For Hamby, the trip to Paris checks off another season goal that the 30-year-old forward had entering her ninth WNBA season. However, international basketball and 3-on-3 competition are nothing new for Hamby.

In 2023, Hamby led Team USA to a gold medal in the FIBA 3x3 Women’s AmeriCup with a buzzer-beating shot to defeat Brazil in the final. Hamby provided the spark all tournament long, earning MVP honors at the AmeriCup, averaging six points and seven rebounds per game.

Hamby appeared for Team Springfield in April at the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series in Springfield, Massachusetts, finishing in fourth place.

Additionally, Hamby played for the 2022 USA World Cup Qualifying team, aiding the team to a 2-0 record over Belgium and Puerto Rico. In two games, Hamby averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Originally, Hamby’s teammate and rookie center Cameron Brink was in line to compete with the USA 3x3 National Team in Paris. But Brink suffered a torn ACL on June 18, opening a roster spot on the 3x3 Olympic team. A week later, Hamby was named to the squad.

Hamby will team up with former WNBA player Cierra Burdick, Atlanta Dream’s Rhyne Howard and TCU’s Hailey Van Lith.

Results:

Pool Play

Game 1: 17-13 loss vs. Germany - 4 PTS / 7 REBS

Game 2: 20-17 loss vs. Azerbaijan - 7 PTS / 5 REBS

Game 3: 17-15 loss vs. Australia - 4 PTS / 6 REBS

Game 4: 17-11 win vs. Spain - 3 PTS / 1 REB

Game 5: 14-13 win vs. France - 4 PTS / 4 REBS

Game 6: 18-17 win vs. Canada - 3 PTS / 2 REBS

Game 7: 21-13 win vs. China - 9 PTS / 5 REBS

Knockout Stage

Semifinals: 18-16 loss vs. Spain - 5 PTS / 7 REBS

Bronze Medal Match: 16-13 win vs. Canada - 3 PTS / 6 REBS

Li Yueru

Country: China

Position: Center

Event: 5-on-5 Basketball

Originally from Changzhi, China, Yueru is making her second trip to the Olympics with the Chinese women’s national team. The 25-year-old center has been around the Chinese national team since 2018, with hefty experience on the international stage.

Debuting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Yueru and China finished in fifth place. In four games, Yueru led the team in scoring, averaging 15 points per game, grabbing eight rebounds and shooting an efficient 78% from the field.

In 2022, Yueru helped lead China to a silver medal performance at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Australia. In the gold medal game against the United States, Yueru recorded a double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in an 83-61 loss.

Heading to Paris, Yueru will lead the charge alongside forwards Li Meng and Huang Sijing. China is searching for its third Olympic medal, with its last medal performance, a silver, arriving in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.

Results:

Group Stage

Game 1: 90-89 loss vs. Spain - 31 PTS / 15 REBS / 1 BLK

Game 2: 81-59 loss vs. Serbia - 8 PTS / 11 REBS / 1 AST

Game 3: 80-58 win vs. Puerto Rico - 14 PTS / 7 REBS

Knockout Stage

Eliminated: Finished 9th place, 1-2 Record

Stephanie Talbot

Country: Australia

Position: Guard/Forward

Event: 5-on-5 Basketball

Talbot is a veteran of the Olympic Games. The 2024 Paris Olympics is her third appearance in the Summer Games for the Opals. The 29-year-old made her Olympic debut for the Australian national team at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Summer Games.

Talbot competed in two FIBA World Cups and two Olympic games with the national team. In 2022, Talbot helped piece together a bronze medal finish for Australia. En route to an All-Tournament Team, Talbot averaged 8.5 points, 5.3 assists, seven rebounds and 1.5 steals at the 2022 FIBA World Cup.

Australia struggled at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing with a 1-3 record and placing eighth in the standings. Talbot didn’t see much action in the four games, registering seven minutes per game off the bench.

The Opals will hope for different results in the 2024 Paris Olympics in search of their sixth Olympic medal.

Results:

Group Stage

Game 1: 75-62 loss vs. Nigeria - 3 PTS / 12 REBS / 10 ASTS

Game 2: 70-65 win vs. Canada - 11 PTS / 6 ASTS / 9 REBS

Game 3: 79-72 win vs. France - 7 PTS / 6 REBS / 5 ASTS

Knockout Stage

Quarterfinals: 85-67 win vs. Serbia - 5PTS / 8 REBS / 2 ASTS

Semifinals: 85-64 loss vs. United States - 2 PTS / 3 REBS

Bronze Medal Match: 85-81 vs. Belgium - 6 PTS / 7 REBS / 4 ASTS

Kia Nurse

Country: Canada

Position: Guard

Event: 5-on-5 Basketball

Nurse is a proven leader for the Canadian national team, making her third Olympic appearance. The 28-year-old has been instrumental to Canada’s success, with several gold medals to show for her efforts on the international stage.

In 2015, Nurse put together an unforgettable year on the Canadian national team, winning gold at the Pan American Games and FIBA AmeriCup. At the Pan American Games in Toronto, Nurse led Canada to its first-ever gold medal in the tournament.

She led the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game and dropped 33 versus the United States in the gold medal game. Just a month later, Nurse led Canada to another gold medal, securing their first in 20 years at the AmeriCup.

In her Olympic debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic games, Nurse led the team in total playing time (2:33:20) and scoring (66 points). Again, at the Tokyo 2020 Games, she led the team in scoring while averaging 36 minutes a game.

Canada recently finished fourth place in the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, its best result in the tournament since 1986. Nurse was second on the team in scoring, with 11 points per game.

Results:

Group Stage

Game 1: 75-54 loss vs. France - 11 PTS / 1 REB / 3 TO

Game 2: 70-65 loss vs. Australia - 12 PTS / 2 REBS

Game 3: 79-70 loss vs. Nigeria - 0 PTS / 1 ASTS / 2 REBS

Knockout Stage

Eliminated: Finished 11th place, 0-3 Record