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By DOUG FEINBERG
SYDNEY (AP) — New York has lengthy been referred to as a melting pot, a metropolis of variety.
That moniker additionally works for the town’s WNBA franchise, the New York Liberty, which has seven gamers competing within the girls’s World Cup for 5 totally different nations.
General, there are 27 gamers in Sydney who competed this season within the WNBA, plus just a few others like Lauren Jackson, who both performed prior to now or had been drafted however have not competed within the league but.
Earlier than the U.S.-China sport, Betnijah Laney and Han Xu exchanged a hug. The 2 Liberty gamers are on reverse groups just a few weeks after their WNBA season ended with a playoff loss to Chicago within the opening spherical.
“That’s one in every of my favourite components concerning the New York staff, we’re so worldwide and we’ve bought such nice expertise from all around the world,” Australian Sami Whitcomb stated. “I believe that represents our fan base as properly. It’s actually superb to return right here and nonetheless get to see your teammates.”
Laney and Sabrina Ionescu are with the U.S. Han is taking part in for China. Bec Allen and Whitcomb are with Australia together with New York coach Sandy Brondello and her husband Olaf Lange, who lead the host nation. Draftee Sika Kone is on Mali and fellow draftee Marine Fauthoux performs for France.
“It’s actually cool to have teammates right here and compete in opposition to one another. It’s an amazing expertise for all of us,” Laney stated. “It’s undoubtedly one thing that’s fairly cool to have the range and to return collectively. It does lengthen to our fan base.”
Whitcomb stated that the Liberty gamers talked concerning the potential of all of them coming to Sydney for the World Cup.
“How enjoyable it might be to have so many people over right here and we had been all going to see one another,” she stated. “We did not understand how many individuals would make the groups, so it is superb.”
All of the groups are staying in the identical resort close to the sector. Whitcomb stated the Liberty teammates have been getting espresso with one another in between video games.
“It simply goes to indicate we’re very worldwide that’s for positive,” Brondello stated. “To get two gamers on the USA staff that’s at all times arduous to interrupt into however I’m happy with these two. They’ve labored so arduous to get there and you already know the Aussies go with out saying however Han is doing an amazing job as properly.”
There’d be an eighth Liberty participant within the event, however Marine Johannes bought damage proper earlier than it started.
New York is not the one WNBA staff properly represented in Sydney: Seattle has 5 energetic gamers in addition to Jackson. The Storm’s coach, Noelle Quinn, is an assistant with Canada. The Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces have 4 gamers every.
The gamers all additionally share a standard eating room for meals, giving them possibilities to work together off the court docket.
“I am completely happy to see my teammates taking part in within the World Cup,” Han stated. “Earlier than I solely had two teammates however now I’ve plenty of them on totally different groups and it is good to see them round.”
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Extra AP girls’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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