The Prologue ?

(Potentially) A rough outline of script and structure for the first episode(s)

"Lines", set in place

"Lines", still working on

In 1936 basketball becomes an official olympic sport. 40 years later - in 1976 - women's basketball events are officially added to the olympic program.

Year Result
1976 team USA wins silver
1980 team USA boycotts (due to games being held in Russia (moscow)
1984 team USA wins gold
1988 team USA wins gold
1992 team USA wins bronze
1996 team USA wins gold
2000 team USA wins gold
2004 team USA wins gold
2008 team USA wins gold
2012 team USA wins gold
2016 team USA wins gold
2020 team USA wins gold
2024

team USA wins gold

TEAM USA's gold medal streak in the women's basketball tournament is one of the longest in traditional team sports history

So I want to know...WHO are the players that have contributed to this streak for team USA?

Starting with the most recent olympic team USA roster and looking at the connections between the players in terms of their careers in the US's most well-known professional women's basketball league - the WNBA...

The 2024 Olympic roster for team USA

Name 2024 WNBA Team
Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm
Kelsey Plum Las Vegas Aces
Sabrina Ionescu New York Liberty
Kahleah Copper Phoenix Mercury
Chelsea Gray Las Vegas Aces
A'ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces
Breanna Stewart New York Liberty
Napheesa Collier Minnesota Lynx
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury
Jackie Young Las Vegas Aces
Alyssa Thomas Connecticut Sun
Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury
2024 Olympic Roster for Team USA

This team continued the USA's gold medal streak, bringing it to 8 straight gold medals. In the gold medal game they beat the home-team France by ONE point

2 of these players would later go on to win the WNBA championship title for 2024

Sabrina Ionescu

and

Breanna Stewart

for the New York Liberty

Going into the 2024 Finals, the New York Liberty had never won a championship title and they would be facing the Minnesota Lynx - who had won the title 4 times.

On the Lynx team was Napheesa Collier

Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart would go on to start a new professional women's basketball league together in 2025 - Unrivaled!

Napheesa Collier started playing in the WNBA in 2019 and has played for the Lynx her entire career so far.

Breanna Stewart started playing in the WNBA in 2016. She started her career with the Seattle Storm before moving to the Liberty for the 2023 season.

Stewart won 2 other WNBA championships with Jewell Loyd

Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart both won their first 2 WNBA championships together when they played for the Seattle Storm (2018 and 2020).

And they'd both win their 3rd WNBA championship titles with new teams. With Stewart's 2024 win with the Liberty and Jewell Loyd's 2025 win with the Las Vegas Aces

In 2023 Stewart started playing for the Liberty and Jewell Loyd stayed with the Storm for a while...

For Jewell Loyd's 10th season in the WNBA, she moved teams for the first time ever when she signed with the Las Vegas Aces for the 2025 season.

The Aces Dynasty

It's common for sports people to talk about "dynasties". The WNBA hasn't really ever settled enough to have clear cut and definitive dynasties, but the Las Vegas Aces are the closest "modern era" example what could be a "dynasty" in WNBA terms.

A'ja Wilson

Jackie Young

Chelsea Gray

Kelsey Plum

...all played for the Aces in 2024

guiding questions for the "prologue"

What's different about this season in particular? (expansion and CBA agreement)

How many games are there this season?

How many teams are there this season?

What are the special events that will happen this season? Which, if any, are new?

last year comparisons (catching up)

general league comparisons (landmark events, general things to know, league history type things)

Context points

Comparing against last season (like who won comissioner's cup last season, what player won what awards, etc.)

Comparing against league's history (like CBA agreement stuff and things relating to expansion, etc.)