When U.S.A. Basketball hands out jerseys to members of its national women’s basketball team before they attempt to win a sixth straight Olympic gold medal at the Rio Games, it will also provide them with a history lesson.
“We let every player know who has worn that number before,” said Carol Callan, the director of the national team. “I think it’s important they have an appreciation for that when they put that uniform on.”
A lot of credit has been given to the 1996 team, which started the Americans’ string of gold medals. But the list Callan is referring to starts with names like Nancy Lieberman, Pat Summitt and Ann Meyers Drysdale.