SYDNEY — A fair amount of uncertainty surrounded USA Basketball as they entered a new chapter of the post-Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi era.
But in front of a crowd of 15,895 fans at the Sydney SuperDome — most of whom were enthusiastically supporting Team China — the new-look Team USA successfully enhanced the legacy that was built by those who came before them by winning a fourth consecutive World Cup gold and 11th overall behind a 83-61 victory over China in the final.
Just five players from the Tokyo Olympic team that won a seventh-consecutive gold suited up in Sydney for the red, white and blue.
No Bird, Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, Tina Charles or Brittney Griner. Instead, the team that took the floor featured just one 30-year-old and six newcomers to the senior national team at this level of competition, after the squad had been defined for years by its experience and elder-statesmanship.