Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi make fifth women's basketball Olympic team

The United States announced its women's basketball roster for the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, and Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi will be leading the way with their fifth Olympic appearance.

Bird, 40, and Taurasi, 39, each have four Olympic gold medals, first making the squad at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens.

The former Connecticut teammates are in rarified territory in women's basketball, joining Teresa Edwards, who played in five Olympics and won four gold medals.

Bird and Taurasi are still active in the WNBA. Bird, the first selection in the 2002 WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm, is the league's all-time leader in assists and games played.

Taurasi, the top selection in the 2004 draft by the Phoenix Mercury, is the league's all-time leading scorer. She has only played four games this season for the Mercury and is recovering from a chest injury.

Also making the Olympic team, coached by five-time Olympic gold medalist (three as a player, two as an assistant coach) Dawn Staley, is Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Tina Charles, Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Sylvia Fowles, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner and Jewell Loyd.

The Women’s National Team will get a tune-up before the Olympics against the WNBA All-Stars on July 14 and are also scheduled to play games against Australia and Nigeria.

The United States has taken home the gold medal in each of the last six Olympic games. The U.S. begins the Olympic tournament against Japan on July 30 and France on Aug. 2.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Olympics 2021: US women's basketball roster for Tokyo Games announced