Team USA always stays outside of the Olympic village.
I’ve read it’s a security issue, but that was way back in 2008. Now I think it’s because the Olympic village sucks.
This is also how a lot of bonding happens between the men’s and women’s teams. Probably the funniest one was Kobe Bryant and Geno Auriemma.
Team USA roster wanted to get as much practice in as possible before heading to the Olympics. They were playing defense and running sets against a group that is most likely the most talent they’ll face.
The all stars roster either saw it as an audition for the Olympic roster (Angel said that), or had some beef with the selection committee (Arike), so extra motivation.
Reeve has been bad. It’s also team USA’s first year without Bird, and an aging Taurasi. And it’s showing.
First three games she had three power forwards starting, whose skills overlap and who all want to run…with a 42 year old shooting guard and injured point guard… both of which would rather player half court.
Then, she’d have Griner come in with a bunch of guards that want to move the ball quickly. Griner doesn’t want to run, and the guards don’t know how to play with BG (it’s a whole learned skill in itself)
She finally swapped it around a little bit. She’s at least putting Taurasi and BG together (and both played much better because of it), though poor Gray is still stuck trying to run with her bad leg.
It’s hard, Bird retired and they don’t get much time together. I expect Clark and Bueckers will be running the offense next time, because Gray/Sabrina/Plum aren’t great at it. CC and Angel didn’t make the team because they didn’t try out, not because they were missing practice.