Cameron Brink’s year has been marked by significant milestones, from wrapping up her senior season at Stanford to being the second overall pick in the WNBA draft.
Now, as summer approaches, her journey is set to reach new heights.
With the 2024 Paris Olympics just around the corner, Team USA Basketball announced on Wednesday, June 5, that Brink has been selected for the 3×3 basketball team. The moment Brink learned she would be going to Paris was captured in an emotional video posted on the USA 3×3 Basketball Instagram account, showing her tearing up as the news was delivered.
“I was absolutely surreal; I was not expecting this at all, but I’ve worked incredibly hard for it. I love the coaches, the committee, everything about this process, so I’m just beyond thankful,” Brink, aged 22, expressed in the video. “Becoming an Olympian has been a lifelong dream, and the chance to compete for a gold medal with this team is something I can hardly put into words. It’s just insane.”
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Also making the team are Hailey Van Lith and Cierra Burdick, who shared their joy in similar heartfelt videos. Upon receiving her Olympic jersey, Van Lith remarked, “The emotions are indescribable—a mix of immense joy and gratitude. I’m excited to wear the USA on my chest and experience Paris for the first time.”
At 30, veteran player Burdick felt overwhelmed by the opportunity: “Making the Olympic team was something I never thought possible as a child. It was a dream, but this has surpassed even my wildest dreams,” she said.
Rhyne Howard completes the four-person squad.
“It is an honor to announce the USA Basketball 3×3 Women’s National Team,” said Jay Demings, the national team director of USA basketball 3×3. “Assembling this team has been an exhilarating process, and we are grateful for all the athletes who have participated in training camps and competitions on the road to Paris 2024.”
The U.S. women’s 3×3 basketball team clinched the sport’s inaugural gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the first time 3×3 basketball was included in the Olympic Games.
The sport is known for its fast-paced 10-minute games, played on a half-sized outdoor court with a smaller ball, and features a DJ setting the game’s rhythm with music.
