Jennifer Rizzotti has her fingers in a lot of pies. She serves as the President of the WNBA team Connecticut Sun. Besides that, she is also the coach of the USA women’s 3×3 basketball team. She has many an accolade to her name since she took up that position. Rizzotti guided her team to three gold medal wins in three tournaments this year.
The 49-year-old began coaching 3×3 basketball only in 2022. Later that same year, she guided the women’s team to the bronze medal at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup. For her work behind the scenes, Rizzotti won the 2023 USA 3×3 Basketball Coach of the Year Award. Recently USA Basketball 3×3 posted a video of Rizzotti being honored by them before her team won the 2023 FIBA AmeriCup gold.
Further honors for Jennifer Rizzotti
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Posting the clip, USA Basketball 3×3 wrote on X, “Prior to winning #3x3AmeriCup gold, @CoachJayDemings had a special surprise for
@JenRizzotti.” Jay Demings, Youth & Sport Development Director, USA Basketball, made a short speech before presenting Rizzotti with a token of the organization’s appreciation. In the year 2023, Lady Luck has rained blessings upon Rizzotti and her team.
Prior to winning #3x3AmeriCup gold, @CoachJayDemings had a special surprise for @JenRizzotti 🏆
🇺🇸 #USABAwards pic.twitter.com/8uSJe2Yuq2
— USA Basketball 3×3 (@usab3x3) December 13, 2023
Jennifer Rizzotti’s team won gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the 2023 Pan American Games, and the 2023 FIBA AmeriCup. Though she played and coached basketball in its most predominant format, Jennifer Rizzotti has taken to the 3×3 format like a fish to water. Rizzotti was part of the coaching staff for the gold-medal-winning Team USA in the 5×5 format at the Tokyo Olympics. She will get the opportunity to add to her kitty of Olympic medals in the City of Light next summer.
Team USA sealed a spot in 3×3 Basketball for Paris 2024
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The USA women’s 3×3 basketball team has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Alongside top seed China and the USA, France also made it. There are five more spots up for grabs in the women’s section. In the men’s section, the three teams that have secured their spots in Paris are the USA, China, and Serbia. Again, five slots remain. It remains to be seen if the USA women’s 3×3 basketball team continues to excel under Jennifer Rizzotti’s stewardship. However, it is not an easy sport to master as said by Rizzotti.
“I think 3×3 is so much more competitive because the margin of error is so small, you’re not allowed to have a bad quarter because that quarter is your game. Your attention, focus, effort and energy has to be on 100% right from the start. That’s hard for any athlete,” Rizzotti had said about the sport a few days back.
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During the last Olympic Games, when 3×3 basketball was introduced on that stage, Team USA won the gold in the women’s section. Can they do so again?
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