Being chosen for a spot on a FIBA World Cup team is an exciting opportunity for players, but in some cases it can come at a cost for the team. Playoff basketball often becomes a war of attrition. Teams often overperform or underperform relative to their talent on paper due to injury or fatigue. For this reason, the FIBA break in the first half of September can be very useful for teams to get the rest they need before the playoffs start. Â
The Aces' big three of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray all making the United States roster is a positive sign of the team's talent, but it is a risk to the health and stamina of the veteran-heavy roster. Every playoff team except the Mystics has a player on the Team USA roster. These more or less represent the strongest and best performing American players in the league and are all key players to their teams going forward. It’s going to be a mild disadvantage for all of these teams in the playoffs because they won’t have the luxury of relatively rested legs.Â
However Napheesa Collier might be the exception here.
The rosters are working out perfectly for the Lynx
Collier is the only Lynx representative on the United States team and the only player on the roster who will probably benefit more from reps than rest. Coming back from injury, her season has only just started and the opportunity to continue training with the national team might be exactly the thing she needs to position herself as ready for a championship run in the fall.Â
Compare this to Olivia Miles, who did not make the roster to the chagrin of some fans. From the perspective of the Lynx, this is probably a good thing. WNBA rookies do not get much rest after the NCAA tournament before starting their season. She has played heavy minutes almost constantly for a long time. This rest could be exactly what she needs, no matter how exciting a World Cup appearance would be.Â
Collier is the only player on the US roster but she’s not the only Minnesota player to be on a team. Chloe Bibby (who has yet to make an appearance for her new team) is set to take the court for Australia. Antonia Delaere, Eliska Joklava and Dorka Juhasz are also expected to play for their respective teams. These are all relatively low minute players who also probably don’t need rest as much as momentum and polish.Â
While it could be a bummer not to see more Minnesota representation in Berlin, the choices were made for a reason and Lynx fans can take comfort that this all is actually going as well as it could for the domestic tournament.Â
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