1996 US Women's Basketball Team Inducted Into Hall of Fame

The 1996 US women's Olympic basketball team will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this Saturday in Uncasville, Connecticut, as first reported by The Guardian. The team's induction marks a legacy that began with a mission to recover from a semi-final loss to the Commonwealth of Independent States at the 1992 Olympics.

Reporting from The Guardian notes that USA Basketball and the NBA prioritized the program's turnaround to provide momentum for the launch of the WNBA. In preparation, the NBA provided backing for a year-long international tour under the leadership of Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer. Guard Dawn Staley told The Guardian that VanDerveer's high-pressure coaching style prepared the team to handle the physical and mental demands of the Games.

The gold medal was won in Atlanta by a roster consisting of Staley, Lisa Leslie, Teresa Edwards, Carla McGhee, Ruthie Bolton, Nikki McCray, Sheryl Swoopes, Venus Lacey, Katy Steding, Jennifer Azzi, Rebecca Lobo, and Katrina Felicia McClain. The victory helped fuel the launch of the WNBA and the ABL, a league that briefly overlapped with the WNBA. Staley noted that the players felt a sense of responsibility for the growth of professional women's basketball in the U.S.

Candace Parker, who is also being inducted, told The Guardian that the 1996 team served as a catalyst for the existence of professional women's sports beyond just basketball. The team's success also initiated a streak of eight consecutive gold medals for USA Basketball. Other inductees in the same class include Chamique Holdsclaw, Elena Delle Donne, NBA coach Doc Rivers, NBA referee Joey Crawford, and former NBA player A’mare Stoudemire.