In conversation with Breanna Stewart: "Our purpose is bigger than just this roster"
As the U.S. women's basketball squad plays its way towards an unheralded eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal, star forward Breanna Stewart says it's not just about the present moment at Paris 2024 - it's also about everyone that's come before them.
"Our purpose is bigger than just this roster," she tells Olympics.com in a recent sit-down. "Honestly, I think the drive comes from the teams that have played before us and our understanding of that.
"We're going for eight consecutive gold medals," the 29-year-old continued. "That's unheard of. It's about making sure that no matter what, as players continue on, that culture stays the same."
It's a culture that has made the Team USA women a global superpower, winning nine of 12 golds since the sport was introduced for female squads at Montreal 1976. Their run at the Paris Games comes at a time when the sport is as popular as ever in America and beyond.
But "Stewie," as she's known by women's basketball afficionados, would like to only strengthen that legacy.
"[We're all] making sure that everyone is holding one another accountable... because we all want to be great," she said. "One is definitely Diana [Taurasi] because she's going for her sixth gold medal, which is crazy. So she's been in these positions, before. But also myself and BG [Brittney Griner] and really, all of us that are vets of the WNBA."
"In order to be great, you have to be able to take the good, the bad and take the criticism that comes with it."
Breanna Stewart: On team card-playing... and playing as favourites
"I would say that we continue to bond by playing cards, whether it's Spades or Uno," Stewart says with a wry smile.
With 12 players representing six different WNBA programs, these are some of the most competitive athletes in the world, who are also taking a mid-season break from the pro schedule in America to go after that aforementioned Olympic gold.
The tension-cutting is needed. So who's the best at Uno?
"I'm going to say me because I'm the only one here," Stewart said, breaking into a laugh as she looks at the camera.
The U.S. will take on Australia in Friday's (9 August) semi-final, with a spot in the gold medal game on the line. Stewart is aware of the talent on the Opals side of the court: "Australia is tough," she said, simply.
Australia is led by five-time Olympian Lauren Jackson, a WNBA veteran herself, as well as Cayla George and Marianna Tolo, who are both playing in their third Olympics.
While the USA is heavily favoured, Stewart says they've learned that they carry a target on all five of their backs for whoever is on court at one time for the U.S. All the time.
"We have to focus on what's right in front of us and not take our opponents lightly," she explained. "It's about having tons of respect for them, and also knowing that we can't have any bad days because someone is going to try and beat us.
"Everybody wants to take us down."
"We're being talked about a lot... that's how it should be"
Stewart is keenly aware of what's across the bracket from their Australia semi-final, with host France taking on Belgium for the other spot in the women's final.
"This Olympics, there's a lot of great talent," she said simply. "But France being the host country is going to be really difficult. And Belgium has the chemistry."
Stewart said she also hopes that the Games in Paris are a continued buoy for the energy around women's basketball, which has carried over from the NCAA season into the WNBA and back to the Olympic stage, too.
"It's been great to see and definitely overdue, for us to be at this point," she said of the women's basketball game. "Now we are being watched and talked about on a lot of different platforms and channels... and that's how it should be. We'll continue to just build momentum and sustain momentum behind women's sports."