Snoop Dogg and the women’s basketball team Team USA are seen onstage during “A Celebration of Olympic Basketball” presented by NBC Universal and NBA at Team USA House in Paris. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images for NBC Universal)

PARIS – From sitting courtside with Snoop Dogg to fangirling over Simon Biles, the U.S. women’s basketball team is determined to make the most of their time on and off the court.

Team USA, which faces Nigeria on Wednesday, knows that the bond with teammates is not just formed by what you do on the field, but also by what happens off it. Participating in the Olympics is an experience that athletes say is rare, and when they watch other athletes play, they become exactly what everyone else watching at home is doing — fans.

A’ja Wilson, center for the Las Vegas Aces, the WNBA’s leading scorer and its most productive player alongside Breanna Stewart, says it’s great to be around other Olympians from other sports, specifically pointing to the moment she met Katie Ledecky. She was also thrilled to meet gymnast Biles, and her appreciation for the moment is palpable.

“We’re fans of great achievements,” Wilson said. “What the people here at the Olympics are doing, the women at these Olympics, has been incredible to see.”

Meeting other athletes is an unforgettable Olympic experience, but a mega event like this is full of them. Some experiences are more fun than others.

Stewart joked about her time at the opening ceremony, which mirrors the experiences of everyone else who stayed outside in the rain for hours to attend.

“Regardless of the weather, the opening ceremony is something you’ll always remember,” Stewart said. “I might remember this one more just because of the situation, and my blazer might still be wet,” Stewart said.

And then, of course, there’s Snoop Dogg – the quintessential NBC announcer and Olympics coverage, who sat courtside with him during a U.S. basketball game against Brazil.

“I love when culture comes into the sport because I think it elevates the game,” Wilson said. “It’s pretty cool to see him up there with my face on his shirt and he gave us chains.”

Most recently, Snoop Dogg wore a Wilson t-shirt while performing some of his greatest hits at a celebration of the USA Basketball Team’s 50th anniversary. The party was attended by both the USA Men’s and Women’s teams and was a welcome respite from the stress of Olympic competition.

“It was just a great feeling to be celebrated,” Wilson said. “To have this place where we are celebrated and people can really see what we have accomplished over the last seven Olympic Games. It’s great.”

Collier said she will remember the celebration with Snoop as a key moment of these Olympics, as well as the opportunity to spend this time with her family, unlike the Tokyo Games, which were postponed and restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The atmosphere was incredible,” said Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier.

Diana Taurasi laughs with her teammates during practice at the Marcel Cerdan Sports Complex in northwest Paris. Team USA knows the importance of finding a balance between success on the court and fun off it. (Photo by Spencer Barnes/Special to Cronkite News)

As nice as it is for the players to celebrate and let go, they understand what task they have ahead of them.

And they recognize what weapons they have. Wilson believes people don’t emphasize how strong this team is.

“I think they talked about what we might be missing, and that’s not always a good thing,” she said. “Sometimes you have to stay in the moment and give people their flowers while they’re here.”

Team USA is watching the critics as closely as the cheering, while the team itself is using this opportunity to bond as much as possible despite the impending final stretch of the WNBA season, which will see heated competition between these players.

Because all of the players on the team are competing with each other through the WNBA and international play, Collier feels it is easier to bond with her temporary teammates.

“Our league is so small,” she said. “We’re really competitive on the field, but once it’s over, we go to dinner and I see them before games.”

With only about a week to train and prepare for the Olympics following the first part of the WNBA season and an unprecedented All-Star Game, the players are in a hectic transition phase.

Players mention that in the limited time they have together, they are constantly trying to figure out the chemistry between players, as lineups are fluid both within the team and on the opponent’s side.
By forcing a bond in a short period of time, the team is forced to get closer to each other.

“What helps me the most is leaning on them, communicating with them, talking to them and giving them the best possible starting point to do great things,” Wilson said. “It’s not always the easiest thing to do. Trying to get through everything.”

Wilson points out the challenges of coming together, but agrees with Collier about the nature of the team and the talent that comes through within it. Collier says everyone “goes out there and is themselves.”

“I think everyone feels really comfortable,” Collier said. “When you come together with a lot of love and the other best players in the world, it’s definitely not a burden to play with so much talent.”

This talent will now take on a determined Nigerian team.

“They play fast and physical,” Stewart said. “They try to disrupt a lot on defense.”

Stewart and Co. are hoping for a win and thus come a step closer to the coveted gold medal, which would be their eighth in a row.