Aces’ ‘Core Four’ brings familiar chemistry to Paris Olympics

A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray looked right at home following the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team’s second practice in Phoenix.

“See, that’s why you missed,” Gray said as Wilson attempted to get some extra shots up on her own. Eventually, Wilson allowed Gray to join her.

They joked about each other and celebrities that should come watch the Aces — normal conversations you’d likely hear at the Aces’ practice facility in Henderson. The only difference was the jersey.

Wilson and Gray are starters for Team USA as it pursues an eighth consecutive gold medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics. They’re joined by teammates Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, who are realizing their dreams as members of the main Olympic team for the first time.

The Aces don’t all agree that their chemistry is a significant Olympic edge, but their experience with playing under pressure might be.

Throughout the Aces’ struggles early this season, Plum and Gray often emphasized how the title of back-to-back defending WNBA champions makes them a target for opponents.

While the talent in international basketball isn’t as robust as what the WNBA offers, Wilson said the U.S. garners extra attention on the international circuit — an obstacle the Aces know all too well.

“I mean, they want to beat our ass. That’s the biggest thing,” Wilson said Friday of Olympic competition. “Talent doesn’t matter. It comes down to heart and pride.”

Wilson said she had the realization that Team USA “can’t take any possessions lightly” while she and Gray participated in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“I remember at one point, I was just like, ‘Oh no. Like, they don’t like us,’” Wilson recalled. “Granted, here (in the WNBA) we have refs and some fans here and there. But (in the Olympics) it’s like, ‘Oh no, they’re trying to take our heads off.’ And we have to respect that.”

When asked whether the Aces’ experience with getting every opponent’s best could offer an advantage in Paris, Plum was diplomatic.

“The 12 that are on (the Olympic) roster are extremely qualified, just in terms of experience,” she said. “We can control our locker room. … (It’s) kind of similar to what we do in Vegas. We try not to get too concerned about anyone else because it’s really about what we can control, offensively and defensively. When we’re with Team USA, that mentality is the same.”

Dreams coming true

If you ask Wilson, she was born to be an Olympian.

As the forward led the U.S. to a landslide 84-57 win over Germany in the team’s final exhibition game Tuesday, broadcasters mentioned that Wilson had a 2008 Beijing Olympic-themed birthday party when she turned 12. All of her friends dressed up as different countries, and they competed in various sports throughout the day.

Wilson and her three Aces teammates have now been part of the USA Basketball system for years, a rigorous program that requires participation in multiple camps.

But when she and Gray helped Team USA bring home gold at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, there were no fans allowed due to COVID-19.

“We did the opening ceremony, and there was just no one there,” Wilson said.

She’ll have her parents in the stands this time.

Gray, a 2014 first-round pick out of Duke, has said repeatedly that she never thought she’d be in the position to be a two-time Olympian. To do it with her teammates, all No. 1 selections in the draft, is a cherry on top.

“It’s making the whole experience that much greater,” Gray said before making a ladder with her hands. “It’s my family and then them.”

Young didn’t know if she’d make the final cut for the Olympic team, saying that she never took a round of the selection process for granted.

“I wasn’t sure if I was gonna make it, but I knew that I just put my all out there and did whatever I could,” she said. “It’s something that you just dream of as a little girl. So to finally be able to achieve that, it’s just something that I’ve never felt before.”

Young and Plum already have Olympic gold, as they claimed victory in three-on-three basketball’s debut at the Tokyo Games.

When women’s national team director Briana Weiss surprised the Aces with the news that they would be Olympians in June, each player was emotional. But Plum cried the hardest.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life,” she said. “It’s usually not that sweet when you get it, but this is one of those moments.”

Aces’ chemistry

The Aces still need to build cohesion with the other eight players on the U.S. roster. Team USA and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said the Olympic squad belongs to Gray, but the point guard’s adjustment process isn’t immediate.

“I’m starting to understand it and get to know people from USA, and what they respond to,” Gray said. “So my voice is still there, as far as a leadership role, but we’re kind of learning each other all at the same time.”

Still, Wilson believes the Aces’ “Core Four” benefits from a shared comfort on and off the court.

“I think the fear of the unknown is gone in a way, because we’re all together,” she said. “At the end of the day, we have each other. We know that we can count on each other.”

Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.