2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifiers: Ariel Atkins and Elena Delle Donne set to head to Team USA training camp

Washington Mystics stars Ariel Atkins and Elena Delle Donne will attend the USA Women’s National Team’s training camp in Washington, D.C. from Feb. 5-7, USA Basketball announced Thursday morning. Delle Donne will make her return to the Entertainment and Sports Arena’s court after playing in just three games over the past two WNBA seasons due to a back injury she suffered in 2019.

The Mystics pair will be joined by Stefanie Dolson (a former Mystics player), Allisha Gray, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby, Natasha Howard, Sabrina Ionescu, Brionna Jones, Betnijah Laney, Jewell Loyd, Kayla McBride, Angel McCoughtry, Kelsey Mitchell, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas for the Feb. 5-7 training camp.

At the conclusion of camp, 12 players will be selected to participate in the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament Feb. 10-12 against Belgium and Puerto Rico. Delle Donne, Ionescu, Laney and Stewart will attend training camp but will not be a part of the final roster that will suit up for Team USA.

Cheryl Reeve, 2021-24 USA National Team head coach, expressed her excitement for next month’s camp in the official press release.

“We will have an incredible mix of veterans and USA National Team newcomers, which will be a great starting point for our preparations for the FIBA World Cup,” Reeve said. “The training camp and games against two very different opponents will give the staff an opportunity to put in the building blocks for the next few years as we look to not only win the World Cup gold medal but qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.”

Mystics General Manager and Head Coach Mike Thibault will also be an assistant coach during camp, but will not be in that capacity during these games.

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