The Los Angeles Sparks will have representation in the Olympic 3×3 basketball competition after all.
Forward Dearica Hamby has been named to the 2024 U.S. Olympic 3×3 team, USA Basketball announced Monday, with Hamby replacing her WNBA teammate Cameron Brink, who suffered a torn ACL last week.
“I’m honored to be chosen to represent the United States at the Paris Olympics and excited to compete for a gold medal,” Hamby said in a statement.
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Hamby has experience with both the American 5-on-5 and 3×3 programs. She led Team USA to gold at the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup in December, taking home tournament MVP honors. More recently, she made her FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series debut at the Springfield stop.
“It is an honor to announce Dearica Hamby’s addition to the USA 3×3 Women’s National Team and we look forward to getting to work as a squad very soon,” Jay Demings, USA Basketball 3×3 national team director and member of the USA Basketball 3×3 women’s selection committee, said in a statement. “USA Basketball continues to keep Cameron Brink in our thoughts as she focuses on her recovery.”
Hamby’s selection made sense for several reasons. For starters, as a function of earning player points in past 3×3 events, she meets FIBA’s eligibility requirements. Hamby is also in the midst of a career season in the WNBA, where she is averaging 17.8 points (12th-most league-wide) and 10.5 rebounds (third-most) per game on 50.9 percent shooting from the field. Other forwards in the USA pool included Katie Lou Samuelson, Camille Zimmerman and Christina Dalce.
Brink played in all 14 games for the Sparks before her season-ending injury last Tuesday against the Connecticut Sun. At the time of her injury, she averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22 minutes per game, and was second in the league in block percentage. “It can’t be understated the potential she shows on that end,” Sparks coach Curt Miller said last week.
Though Hamby fills one spot, another 3×3 roster question is looming over the team as Atlanta Dream star guard Rhyne Howard is currently out indefinitely with an ankle injury. A two-time All-Star, Howard suffered her injury last week in a contest against the Minnesota Lynx. She had her ankle wrapped and was using a scooter to get around before last Friday’s game.
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Brink, Howard headline U.S. 3x3 women's Olympic basketball team
The Olympics are July 26 to Aug. 11, meaning Howard could still participate depending on the severity of her injury and recovery time.
If Howard is unable to play, her WNBA teammate, 2023 All-Star guard Allisha Gray, a gold medalist on the US 3×3 team in the Tokyo Games, could be a possible replacement.
Cierra Burdick and Hailey Van Lith are the other two players on the team, which is coached by Jen Rizzotti.
(Photo: Kate Frese / NBAE via Getty Images)