Family affair for Team USA at AmeriCup 3x3

By Maggie Hendricks
2 min|
Katie Lou Samuelson of the Los Angeles Sparks
Picture by Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Newlyweds and new parents Katie Lou Samuelson and Devin Cannady will compete for the U.S. in San Juan starting 1 December.

The U.S. 3x3 basketball teams playing at the AmeriCup tournament in Puerto Rico starting on Friday (1 December) will be a family affair. Katie Lou Samuelson, on the women’s team, and Devin Cannady, on the men’s, were married in April, and are parents to Aliya Renae, who was born in August.

Olympic Membership | Free Live Stream Sports & Original Series - join now!

Both Samuelson and Cannady have 5 on 5 and 3x3 experience. Samuelson, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA, missed the 2023 season on maternity leave. Before that, she was named to the U.S. 3x3 Olympic team for Tokyo 2020, but had to withdraw just before the games because of a positive COVID test.

Cannady plays in the NBA’s G-League and for the professional 3X team Run n Gun, as well as Team Washington on the FIBA 3x3 World Teams Tour.

They’ve integrated being parents into their lives as basketball players. Samuelson, who is also an assistant coach for Vanderbilt University, brings Aliya to practices. Cannady, meanwhile, made sure to include Aliya in pictures for his G-League team’s media day.

“Blessed beyond measure to have an amazing village for our daughter @katielou33 !! Your journey is an inspiration to be a part of + is only going to get better,” Cannady wrote on Instagram.

Cannady is part of the U.S. men’s team who will be looking to defend their AmeriCup title while in San Juan. He will be joined by Mitch Hahn, Trey Bardsley and Bryce Wills, with Fran Fraschilla as the team's coach.

Canada won gold on the women’s side in 2022, with Brazil taking silver and the U.S. winning bronze. Along with Samuelson, the U.S. women's team includes Dearica Hamby, Kelsey Mitchell and Camille Zimmerman. Jen Rizzotti will be the coach.