U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe did not hold back when talking about the U.S. men’s hockey national team visiting the White House and Donald Trump.

Rapinoe referred to the players as “clowns” for visiting Trump, adding that this decision has tarnished their massive moment. She called the decision a “classic ripping defeat from the jaws of victory.”

Rapinoe spoke about this on the latest episode of her wife’s and WNBA legend Sue Bird’s podcast. Rapinoe is an Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA World Cup champion for the United States.

“The United States men’s hockey team, in their utter moment of glory, childhood dreams come true, once in a lifetime accomplishment, sensational, ruined it for themselves,” Rapinoe said. “Because they allowed themselves to be totally co-opted by a clown. And now you’re a clown. You look like a clown.”

Rapinoe circled back to the “joke” made by the president in the locker room about the U.S Women’s hockey team. Trump said that he has to invite the women’s team or else he will be “impeached,” in a phone call with the men’s team. “I don’t understand the funny part of the joke,” Rapinoe said.

“And, I’m just like … why don’t you respect you more than to have that moment be taken by someone for no reason at all, take a huge swing and a jab at women who did the exact same thing you did?” Rapinoe added.

Rapinoe famously said she “wasn’t going to the f—ing White House,” if they won the World Cup back in 2019. The women’s hockey team followed in her footsteps by declining the invitation to the Oval Office.

The 2008 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team, featuring Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, lead this year’s list of finalists for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Along with them, women’s basketball legends Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles made the list, as well as coaches Billy Donovan and Mark Few.

Anthony sits 10th on the NBA’s career scoring list with 28,289. The 10-time All-Star also helped lead Syracuse to a national championship in 2003.

Known for his defensive dominance, Howard won three consecutive NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards from 2009 to 2011. He was named to eight All-NBA teams, led the Orlando Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals, and claimed a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

Following a bronze medal finish in 2004 and no medals at the 2002 and 2006 world championships, Team USA’s men’s basketball team reclaimed its dominance by winning gold in the 2008 Olympics. The star-studded roster included Anthony, Howard, Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. The team was built by Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo.

Moore’s decorated career saw her win two national championships at UConn and four WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx before she retired in 2018 to pursue criminal justice reform. Bird, who also won two NCAA titles at UConn, won four WNBA championships with the Seattle Storm and is widely recognized as one of the greatest point guards the game has ever seen.

Fowles dominated the paint at LSU, leading the program to four consecutive Final Four appearances. She later won two WNBA titles alongside Moore with the Lynx and was named the league’s MVP in 2017.

A two-time national champion coach, Donovan led the Florida Gators to four Final Fours in 19 seasons, winning titles in 2006 and 2007 with a roster featuring Al Horford and Joakim Noah. He left college basketball to coach in the NBA, first with the Oklahoma City Thunder and now with the Chicago Bulls.

As Gonzaga’s all-time winningest coach by percentage, Few has taken the Bulldogs to 25 straight NCAA tournaments and twice to the national championship game, in 2017 and 2021.

Other finalists for the Hall of Fame include veteran NBA referee Danny Crawford, five-time All-Star Marques Johnson, longtime college coach Jerry Welsh, three-time All-Star Buck Williams, Stanford and WNBA star Jennifer Azzi, women’s basketball trailblazer Molly Bolin, Serbian coach Dusan Ivkovic, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, and Israeli icon Tal Brody.

The nominees advance to the final stage of the selection process, where a panel of 24 anonymous voters will evaluate their candidacy. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive at least 18 votes.

The announcement of the 2025 class will take place on Apr. 5 in San Antonio as part of the NCAA men’s Final Four festivities.

The enshrinement ceremony will take place on Sept. 5-6.

Athlete Ally, a sports advocacy group, coordinated to send letters to the NCAA advocating against a ban for transgender college athletes. Hundreds of former and current athletes, including Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird, signed the letters.

The letters were sent to the NCAA through corporations, academics and athletes, calling for the league to cease considerations to ban transgender athletes and instead focus on welcoming them.

“We implore you, the NCAA’s highest governing body and members of an organization focused on supporting the wellbeing of not just athletes but sport itself, to focus on the long-documented needs of NCAA athletes of all genders,” Athlete Ally’s letter stated. “We implore you to focus efforts on developing policies driven by research, education, collaboration, and policy to promote a healthy and safe environment for all athletes, NOT discriminatory attempts to sideline an entire group of athletes from the sports they love.”

The NCAA last took measures to address transgender athletes in 2022, when the organization issued a rule requiring that transgender women receive at least one year of testosterone suppression treatment before competing. The debate has raged on since, however, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) took a drastic step earlier this month, banning transgender athletes outright.

“We know there are a lot of different opinions out there,” NAIA president Jim Carr told CBS Sports. “For us, we believed our first responsibility was to create fairness and competition in the NAIA … We also think it aligns with the reasons Title IX was created. You’re allowed to have separate but equal opportunities for women to compete.”

The NAIA’s decision has pressured the NCAA to return to the issue, with some demanding that the organization follow suit. Athlete Ally, along with hundreds of signatory athletes, has made its stance clear as well.

“To deny trans athletes the freedom to be their authentic selves and participate in the sport they love goes against the principles of Olympism: that sport is a human right and that sport is for all,” the letter went on to state.

WNBA legend Sue Bird stepped off the court for the final time Tuesday night following the Seattle Storm’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 4 of their playoff semifinal series. Bird’s tenure in Seattle is unrivaled as the greatest career in women’s basketball history, and fans made sure to send her off in raucous fashion as she left the floor of the Climate Pledge Arena for the last time.

> WATCH SUE BIRD’s uSPORTS INTERVIEW!

Despite Breanna Stewart’s 42-point performance, Bird and the Storm were unable to avoid a series sweep against the Aces, who entered the postseason with the best record in the Western Conference. Seattle led 47-44 at the half but played poorly in the third quarter and went on to lose 97-92.

In an interview with ESPN after the game, Bird admitted that she wasn’t satisfied with the result but was instead focusing on appreciating her career as a whole.

“Obviously I am so thankful for 20 years here. I’m going to miss it so much. I’m not going anywhere but I’m going to miss it,” Bird said. “I wish we could have done a little bit more to get to the finals, but I’m so proud of this team this year.”

As the game came to a close, a packed crowd in the Climate Pledge Arena began chanting for Bird and didn’t stop until long after the game ended. In 20 years with the organization, Bird led Seattle to four WNBA championships in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020. She also made 12 All-Star Game appearances and ranks near the top in every significant statistical career category. Her retirement announcement and subsequent farewell processions have drawn adoring comments from local Seattle figures as well as national sports icons like Dwyane Wade.

In addition to looking back on her contributions to the team, Bird also expressed hope in the Storm’s future and gave advice to whoever would go on to replace her.

“I guess I just hope the next person that comes in and plays point guard here, just keep the tradition going. Keep the winning going. Keep that championship level going, keep these fans happy.”

With Bird’s Storm out of the way, the Las Vegas Aces will play the winner of the other semifinal series between the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky. The Aces are currently favored to win the championship.

For Seattle Storm star Sue Bird, a special ring ceremony before her final regular season home game Sunday afternoon only told part of the story. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s announcement declaring Aug. 7 “Sue Bird Day” surely meant something as well, but it too served as a tangential detail. As the WNBA legend faces the end of her 17-year career, a sold-out crowd in the Climate Pledge Arena and a single flower from a young fan make her impact clear.

The Mariners cruised to a 6-3 victory over the Angels and the Seahawks and Kraken haven’t played in months, but Sunday was nevertheless an important day for sports in Seattle. For the first time in the history of the Seattle Storm, the team’s arena earned a capacity crowd of 13,500 for Bird’s final home game in the regular season. After 19 seasons with the team between 2002 and 2022, the four-time WNBA champion received a thunderous ovation.

“Right now, I just want to say from the bottom of my heart how thankful I am, not only for today and all of you showing up and supporting us, but for 21 years. You all supported me from the start,” Bird said during the pre-game ceremony.

In the first quarter of the Storm’s game against the Las Vegas Aces, a young girl handed Bird a flower while the guard waited for the ball before an inbound pass. Though Bird had to ask the fan to hold on to the flower, as she quickly had to return to the game, she recognized the gesture as a special one after the game.

“That was the sweetest. She was so cute. I understood that she was like showing me the flower and that it was for me,” Bird said. “And then I was like, ‘Oh, can you just hold this just for a second until I’m done?’”

In spite of the emotional farewell going into the game, the Aces went on to defeat the Storm 89-81, a loss Bird was disappointed by but nevertheless accepted philosophically. With the Storm certain to make the playoffs this year, it’s likely that she has not played her final game in the arena, and the opportunity for a more redemptive farewell is well within reach.

After 19 seasons in the WNBA, Bird has appeared in the All-Star Game 12 times and leads the league in career assists, minutes played and games played. As a member of the U.S. national team, she has won five gold medals at the Olympics.

Megan Rapinoe is an American professional soccer player and activist. She is the current captain of the OL Reign professional team and co-captain of the United States national team, which she has played for since 2005. She’s competed in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup (second place), the 2012 London Summer Olympics (gold), the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup (gold), the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup (gold) and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics (bronze). Rapinoe is well-known for her staunch social and political views. The athlete is included in Time Magazine‘s 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

MEGAN RAPINOE BIOGRAPHY: AGE, EARLY LIFE, FAMILY, EDUCATION

Megan Rapinoe was born on July 5, 1985 (Megan Rapinoe’s age: 40), in Redding, California. Her parents, Jim and Denise, raised five children. Rapinoe has an older sister, two older brothers, and a fraternal twin sister, Rachael Rapinoe.

Growing up, Rapinoe idolized her older brother Brian. At age 15, however, Brian was sent to juvenile detention and spent the following years in and out of prison. Recently, Brian has made a concerted effort to get off drugs and turn his life around.

Rapinoe attended Foothill High School, where she competed on the track and basketball teams. She played soccer for Elk Grove Pride Club Team in the Women’s Premier Soccer League from 2002 to 2005. Rapinoe was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American team as a junior and a senior. In 2002, she was a member of the U-16 Women’s National Team. In 2004, she was named to the McDonald’s All-American Girls High School Soccer West Team. Rapinoe also played for the Olympic Development Program (ODP) throughout high school. The athlete played on the U-19 Women’s National Team from 2003 to 2004, competing in the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championships in Thailand, where the United States finished third.

MEGAN RAPINOE BIOGRAPHY: COLLEGE CAREER

In 2005, both Rapinoe and her sister Rachael attended the University of Portland, Oregon on full soccer scholarships. In her freshman year, she led the Pilots to an undefeated season and the NCAA Division I Championship. She received several accolades that season, including NSCAA First Team All-American, Soccer America First Team Freshman All-America, and West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, among others.

Rapinoe began training with the U.S. national team in 2006. She played in her first game on July 23, 2006, in a friendly match against Ireland. She scored her first two goals in October in a friendly match against Taiwan.

In her sophomore year in 2006, Rapinoe was among the nation’s leading scorers when she suffered her first ACL injury during a match against Washington State University.

In her junior year (2007), Rapinoe suffered a second ACL injury during the second game of the season. Once again, she was forced to sit out the rest of the season.

Rapinoe returned for her senior season in 2008, scoring five goals and contributing 13 assists. Despite a year of eligibility remaining due to her many injuries, she entered the 2009 Women’s Professional Draft. She was selected second overall by the Chicago Red Stars for the inaugural season of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS).

MEGAN RAPINOE BIOGRAPHY: PROFESSIONAL CAREER

In her first year playing for the Red Stars, she started 17 of 18 games, scored 3 goals, and recorded 3 assists. She was named to the league’s All-Star Team and played in the All-Star match against Swedish Damallsvenskan champions Umeå IK. Also in 2009, Rapinoe returned to the women’s national team and started six of seven games.

In December of 2010, Rapinoe signed with the Philadelphia Independence.

While she was in Germany, she was traded to MagicJack, where she made eight regular-season appearances and helped them reach the final, which they lost to the Philadelphia Independence. MagicJack dissolved in 2011, leaving Rapinoe a free agent.

Also in 2011, Rapinoe was named to the United States national team roster for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Rapinoe scored in the team’s second group-stage match against Colombia, when she famously celebrated by grabbing an on-field microphone and singing Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born in the U.S.A.” In the quarterfinal match against Brazil, Rapinoe assisted Abby Wambach for the latest goal ever scored in a World Cup match. Rapinoe later helped the team in the penalty shootout, resulting in a victory for the United States. The athlete helped the United States in the championship game against Japan by assisting Alex Morgan for the first goal of the match, although they were ultimately defeated.

Rapinoe returned to the world stage at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. She scored three goals during the course of the tournament and contributed four assists. Two of the goals occurred during the semi-final match against Canada. One of the goals was scored directly from her corner kick, making Rapinoe the first and only player (male or female) to score an Olimpico in the Olympic Games. She later scored a second Olimpico in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The United States defeated Japan in the championship round to secure the gold.

After brief stints with the Australian W-League team Sydney FC and the Seattle Sounders, Rapinoe signed a six-month contract with the French team Olympique Lyonnais in January of 2013.  The team ultimately reached the finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, losing to VfL Wolfsburg.

In January 2014, Rapinoe left Lyon and joined Seattle Reign FC, where she played alongside her national teammate Hope Solo. Rapinoe became the team’s top scorer and turned around their overall league record. She helped the team advance to the National Women’s Soccer League finals, where they played FC Kansas City. Rapinoe scored the only goal of the game for the Seattle Reign, and they ultimately lost 2-1. Rapinoe continues to play for Seattle Reign FC in the present day.

In 2015, Rapinoe participated in her second FIFA Women’s World Cup, this time in Canada. Rapinoe scored twice in the team’s first group stage match against Australia. The United States ultimately won the tournament after defeating Japan in a rematch of the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.

Rapinoe rejoined the United States roster for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She contributed one goal in the infamous 13-0 win over Thailand during the group stage of the tournament. During the knockout stage, Rapinoe scored the United States’ two goals in their victory over Spain. Rapinoe scored another two goals in the quarterfinal match against France, earning them a spot in the semifinals. While forced to sit out the semifinals due to injury, Rapinoe returned in full force for the final match, scoring one of the United States’ two goals of the game and ensuring their second consecutive World Cup win. Rapinoe was awarded the Golden Boot for having scored the most goals in the tournament, as well as the Golden Ball award for best player.

In the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, Rapinoe scored twice in the 4-3 win against Australia in the bronze-medal match.

MEGAN RAPINOE BIOGRAPHY: INTERVIEW ON TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS

In April of 2021, Rapinoe and her teammates Becky Sauerbrunn and Crystal Dunn spoke during a media availability about the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and how COVID-19 had affected their preparation. The United States women’s national team had won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019, setting the stakes high for the Olympics.

While for many athletes the delay of the Olympic Games due to COVID was difficult, Rapinoe had a different opinion.

“For us, this was a nice little silver lining, obviously, of COVID and the pandemic, just to have a year to rest,” she said. “Some players played a lot, went overseas, some players like myself took more time for themselves, time that we never really get to get our bodies right and just to have that break.”

Reflecting on the benefits of the delay of the games, Rapinoe revealed that, “I think of all the teams, we probably have the most benefit just because we would have been so tired, particularly after all the wildness of [the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup].”

Watch the full interview below.

MEGAN RAPINOE BIOGRAPHY: PERSONAL LIFE AND ACTIVISM

Rapinoe dated Australian soccer player Sarah Walsh for four years, beginning in 2009 and ending in 2013. She announced her engagement to Sub Pop recording artist Sera Cahoone in 2015. In January 2017, Rapinoe revealed that the wedding plans were on hold. In July 2017, Rapinoe and WNBA player Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm confirmed their relationship. The couple announced their engagement in October 2020.

In September 2016, Rapinoe made headlines by kneeling during the national anthem in what she described as a nod to Colin Kaepernick‘s protests. Rapinoe stated that, as a member of the LGBTQ community, she has experienced firsthand what it means to have the American flag not protect all of one’s liberties.

In 2016, Rapinoe and four other women from the United States women’s national soccer team filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accusing the United States Soccer Federation of wage discrimination. A judge ultimately ruled against the female players. Rapinoe was one of the 27 US women’s soccer team players in 2019 to file a lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation, accusing it of gender discrimination – specifically, unequal pay. A judge dismissed the wage-discrimination claims, but the trial remains ongoing on the claims of discriminatory work conditions.

Rapinoe has been involved with various LGBTQ rights organizations, namely the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSE) and Athlete Ally.

In 2017, Rapinoe and teammate Morgan were the first two women players to sign up for Juan Mata‘s Common Goal campaign, in which players donate one percent of their individual wages to soccer-related charities.

Rapinoe publicly endorsed Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. She also hosted a panel during the 2020 Democratic National Convention alongside frontline workers of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In November 2020, Rapinoe published her autobiography, One Life.

MEGAN RAPINOE BIOGRAPHY: INTERVIEW ON SOCIAL JUSTICE

In April 2021, Rapinoe spoke extensively at the Olympic Media Summit about her views on recent events in the sports world and the responsibilities of athletes regarding social justice. Speaking about the MLB’s decision to move the 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta in response to Georgia’s restrictive new voting laws, Rapinoe emphasized the power of athletics to influence the political landscape.

“Athletes are in a very unique position in this country that is obsessed with sports… that looks to us for a lot of role-modeling, not just for kids but for adults, as well as sort of puts athletes on this pedestal all the time,” Rapinoe explained.

“So many athletes have sort of taken that responsibility on themselves, knowing the influence that we can have,” she went on. “I think [it is] really inspiring, and I think it’s made a huge difference in the country, to be honest. It changes hearts and minds.”

Rapinoe, who herself is a member of the LGBTQ community and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights and awareness, noted that intersectionality among athletes is one of the reasons they wield special power in the public sphere.

“Athletes are from every cross-section of life, at every single intersectionality. I think we have a unique power in our voice, and a unique perspective, knowing that we can represent just about anyone in the country.”

Catch the full interview below.

FACT SHEET

Full Name

Megan Anna Rapinoe

Date of Birth

July 5, 1985

Birthplace

Redding, California

Height

5’6″

Education

Foothill High School; University of Portland

Relationship Status

Engaged to Sue Bird

Family

Jim Rapinoe (father), Denise Rapinoe (mother), Rachael Rapinoe (twin sister), Brian Rapinoe (brother)

Twitter Handle

@mPinoe

Notable Accolades

Runners Up in 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Gold Medal in 2012 Summer Olympics in London

Champions in 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Champions in 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Bronze Medal in 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics

On Monday, more than 500 female athletes signed a friend-of-the-court brief opposing a Mississippi law that would ban abortions of pregnancies that are 15 weeks or longer. The athletes displayed solidarity in numbers while urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject the law.

Of those that signed, 276 are college athletes, 73 are professional athletes and 26 have competed in the Olympics — among these athletes were Olympian and two-time World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe and her fiancee, WNBA star Sue Bird. 

In 1973, the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case ruled that women had the right to end their pregnancies with abortions, but now, 48 years later, opponents are attempting to overturn the historic case. The brief, that was submitted to the court on Monday, highlights that “the physical tolls of forced pregnancy and childbirth would undermine athletes’ ability to actualize their full human potential.”

Rapinoe, who is highly vocal and active in social issues, commented by saying, “As women athletes and people in sports, we must have the power to make important decisions about our own bodies and exert control over our reproductive lives.”

USA women’s basketball star Sue Bird and baseball infielder Eddy Alvarez will serve as flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.

Team USA tweeted out the selection of Bird and Alvarez as this Olympics’ flag bearers.

“An honor unlike any other,” Team USA tweeted out. “Eddy Alvarez and Sue Bird have been selected as Team USA flag bearers for the #TokyoOlympics.”

Traditionally in the past, only one person served as the flag bearer in the Olympics. But this year it was changed to two after the International Olympic Committee encouraged one male and one female to represent the nation as a symbol of gender parity.

“With 49 percent female participation, Tokyo 2020 will be the first gender-equal Olympic Games ever,” the IOC said. “For the first time, there will be at least one female and one male athlete in each of the teams participating in the Games.”

Bird, 40, has won four gold medals with the women’s team since 2004. The Team USA basketball star will enter the Tokyo Olympics with the hopes of winning her fifth gold medal. Bird was honored to be selected as a flag bearer, especially with the selection coming from her peers. The flag bearers are chosen by their fellow athletes.

“I think that’s the best part, to be honest, to have your peers be the one to kind of see your career and pick you to be the one to lead us in,” Bird told the Today Show on Wednesday.

Alvarez, 31, has played with the Miami Marlins and won a silver medal in speedskating at the 2014 Winter Olympics. USA baseball looks to win its first gold medal since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Olympic Basketball star Sue Bird had a lot to say about Draymond Green’s controversial tweets about compensation in women’s sports.

During the Team USA Tokyo Olympics Media Summit with fellow WNBA stars A’ja Wilson, Nneka Ogwumike and Team USA women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, Bird spoke about Green’s 12 tweets regarding the pay gap in sports. She also responded to his argument about female athletes having to build better platforms for themselves. It should be noted that Green tagged Bird in one of his tweets.

Green wrote that female athletes should be making “these huge companies commit money to ya’ll cause. That’s empowering! Or don’t yell women empowerment.” Green also said that he had been asked to film Public Service Announcements about women’s empowerment but that he declined because the brands “are not putting their money where their mouth is.”

“I think, simply put, the world, America, our country is catching up to us. We’ve already been here, we’ve already been doing the basketball thing. We’ve already had that product. It’s already been what it is, which is great. I think, in terms of what we stand for in terms of social justice, we’ve been doing this. That’s what I mean when I say the world just caught up with us. They’re just seeing it now, it’s always been there,” said the 40-year-old Bird.

“As it pertains to Draymond, to be honest, the sad part is that he does have a platform. He had every chance to really get in the nuance of this conversation because a lot of these conversations around women’s sports lives in the nuance. There are reasons why the investments are the way it is, the media coverage is the way it is. It’s not as simple as, ‘Oh they don’t have revenue.’ That’s actually the easy way out,” Bird explains.

“So what was unfortunate was that, with all the resources that he does have, he didn’t have those conversations with the people he tagged. He could’ve hit me up, he could’ve hit all of us up. … Because again, his platform allows people to jump on the ‘they don’t have the revenue’ train. That’s just not what it is,” the four-time medalist says.

“I see his points,” Bird said. “His point is: why is company X going to capitalize on talking about women during Women’s History Month but not put the money where the mouth is and support women’s sports or the WNBA or individuals, whatever the case may be. I see his point, he just tagged the wrong people. He should’ve been tagging those companies. He should be having those conversations with the companies who endorse him.”

The United States Basketball Women’s National Team has gone undefeated at the Olympic Games since 1996. The team is going for its seventh-straight Olympic gold medal this year at the Tokyo Games. When members of the team sat down with reporters, somehow the “Black Mamba” came up.

Kobe Bryant is remembered for a lot of things, but not many people instantly think of his two Olympic gold medals. However, WNBA star and Olympic basketball player Sue Bird remembers a specific incident with the Lakers legend back from the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing.

Bird recalls a night when Bryant joined a game of spades with several players from the women’s national team.

“There was a little wine involved and he got very competitive in drinking the wine,” recalled Bird, a four-time gold medalist. “And it was like he didn’t want to be behind anybody on these glasses… And we were, like, ‘Kobe, we’ve got practice tomorrow. We’re just sipping,’” she said. “No. He was into this wine. ‘I’ve had three glasses. You’ve only had one.’”

The 2008 Summer Games took place two months after the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. At one point during the card game, Bryant picked up a newspaper and saw a picture of Celtics star Paul Pierce.

“And he literally ripped out this picture of Paul Pierce and he folded it up and he put it in his pocket,” Bird said. “He was like, ‘This is motivation for next year.’ It was just this glimpse into how he worked, how he functioned.”

The story speaks to Bryant’s competitive nature. Everyone knows about the “Black Mamba” mentality that Bryant utilized on the court. It’s not that surprising to hear about Bryant exuding that competitive nature off the basketball court as well.

Four-time Olympians Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings headline the U.S. women’s national basketball team roster heading to the Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil this summer.

Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings Headline US Women’s Olympic Basketball Team

They will be joined by first-time Olympians Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart.

Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Angel McCoughtry, Tina Charles and Sylvia Fowles round out the Team USA roster, which was announced Wednesday morning.

This roster gives coach Geno Auriemma several options as the U.S. pursues its sixth straight gold medal.

“When you look at the team there’s a little bit of everything. A little bit of youth, a little bit of the middle and then there is the veterans,” Auriemma told The Associated Press. “There’s some size and there’s lot of flexibility to handle things a lot of different ways. Everyone that’s on the team is on the team for a purpose. They feel like they can do something that’s unique for the team.

“The ones that won gold medals in the world championship and the Olympics, they are invaluable and yet everyone’s role changes every year. Whatever role you played in 2012 didn’t necessarily mean you will play that role now.”

The U.S. has won 41 consecutive Olympic contests since the bronze medal game in 1992. Taurasi, 33, Bird, 35, and Catchings, 36, were all players on the gold medal teams in 2004, 2008, and 2012. Nine of the players participated in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The three veterans, alongside Teresa Edwards and Lisa Leslie, are the only Americans to play in four or more Olympics. Edwards played in five, and Leslie played in four.

Eight players were in New York for the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, and that same afternoon they participated in an on-court demonstration with First Lady Michelle Obama in Times Square as part of the 100 Days Out event.

“In some ways it has even more meaning than the first three,” point guard Bird said. “Mainly I think it’s because that when you are young the tendency is to take things for granted, and you just think these things are going to happen year after year or every four years. But now that I am older, I see that I am really lucky.”  

Meanwhile, Donne, the reigning WNBA MVP, is very excited to have a chance to play in Rio.

“It’s so hard to even put it into words. When Carol called me, it was emotional,” Donne said. “She was nice enough to tell me at the beginning of the conversation so I wasn’t hyperventilating. It’s amazing and a humbling experience as well, with how special and talented this pool of players is.”

Griner had a strong chance at playing in the 2012 Olympics, but was forced to withdraw from consideration due to a family illness.

Stewart, 21, is the youngest player on the team, yet she has already amassed considerable experience as a member of  the USA Basketball squad. She has played in 69 international game since joining the team at the age of 14. Stewart has also won gold medals at almost every level she’s played while wearing the USA jersey.

won gold medals at nearly every level she’s played while wearing the USA jersey.

“Well, first of all when I saw that Carol was calling, I had a mini heart attack,” she said. “Because I’m like, ‘What’s going to happen? I don’t know! I don’t know!’ And then I answered it and … when she congratulated me, it was . I was speechless. I did not know what to say.”

One name not on the roster was Candace Parker. The 30 year old is perhaps the most accomplished player to not make a U.S. Olympic roster in her prime. The two-time WNBA MVP had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the 2012 gold medal victory over France, and was the USA’s leading rebounder in London.

Parker could still potentially make the team as an alternate if someone is injured before the Olympics.

PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 09: Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury during game two of the WNBA Finals against the Chicago Sky at US Airways Center on September 9, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona.