New U.S. women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley believes stalwarts Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird will return for a run at the 2020 Olympics.
“My gut feeling is yes,” Staley said when asked directly Friday, followed by a chuckle and adding no further detail.
Staley knows Taurasi and Bird from playing with them at the 2004 Olympics, the third and final Olympics for Staley, who carried the U.S. flag into the Opening Ceremony in Athens.
Those were the first Games for Taurasi and Bird, the youngest players on that team who have gone on to win four gold medals each.