Olympic basketball champion Napheesa Collier dreams of repeat gold at Paris 2024
In this exclusive interview the Minnesota Lynx and Team USA standout talks about returning to the WNBA after becoming a mum, Maya Moore's retirement and trade news from Jonquel Jones.
Basketball
Winning basketball gold for Team USA at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games made such an impact on Napheesa Collier that she’s already dreaming of repeating the feat at Paris 2024.
“Absolutely, that’s the goal,” said Collier about defending their title in an interview Wednesday with Olympics.com at a Jr. NBA clinic in Paris, which is part of the official youth basketball participation programme run during the NBA Paris Game 2023.
“I was in the last Olympics; it was my first one and I want to continue to do it for as long as I play so I hope you see me here.”
She might be hoping to have a special guest in the audience, as well.
Collier, who plays in the WNBA for the Minnesota Lynx, gave birth to her first child, Mila, in May 2022.
She returned for four games toward the end of the 2022 season and is now preparing for her first full season as a mum.
“I’m probably not ready or prepared yet, but I’m really excited,” Collier shared. “It’s so fun to see [Mila] grow and for her to be around my teammates, so I’m excited for that again.”
WNBA action is set to begin in May but Collier is expecting the off-season to bring more excitement, in addition to the recent retirement news of two-time Olympic champion Maya Moore and the blockbuster trade of Jonquel Jones to the New York Liberty.
“I’m really just so happy for her,” Collier said of Moore’s retirement. The two played together as part of the Lynx.
“It seems that she’s found her calling in life. As amazing a basketball player she is, we’re going to miss her on court, I think what she’s doing off the court is so much more important.”
She later added, “I think this is going to be a really exciting off-season. I think we’re going to see a lot of big moves so it’s fun to see those kind of things. I hope not too many more people go to New York otherwise they’re going to be scary but I’m excited to see what happens.”
And no matter what happens, Paris awaits in 2024.
“To have that gold medal put around your neck is just an indescribable feeling,” said Collier, “So, I hope we get to feel it here, too.”