The Gold Mamba, Jewell Loyd, is a Las Vegas Aces guard and Olympic gold medalist. Born 1993, she led Notre Dame to prominence before going No. 1 in the 2015 WNBA draft with the Seattle Storm.
The U.S. women’s basketball team has named its 12-player World Cup roster, with Breanna Stewart returning and Caitlin Clark among seven first-timers. Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Alyssa Thomas are not on this year’s squad. Ionescu has been left off, citing strategic decisions and a desire to balance experience with new talent. The announcement comes as the team navigates injuries and a shifting roster ahead of the Berlin tournament.