The USA women’s basketball team dramatized the finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics by securing their eighth consecutive gold medal. However, there was a question about what role veteran Diana Taurasi would play in a tense final with France. That put minutes played in the spotlight, shifting the debate from the player to coach Cheryl Reeve.

During the Queens of the Court podcast, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes touched on this latest controversy, subtly raising questions about Reeve’s decision to bench Taurasi in the game’s most critical moments. Hosted by Swoopes and Jordan Robinson, the podcast did go pretty in-depth after the game almost got away from Team USA.

Swoopes, who had played in her share of big games, was caught off guard by the coaching strategy in the final. “This was the first time, ever, even when I was playing, that I actually was like, we could lose this game,” Swoopes said, stressing how strange the situation felt. In truth, Team USA did slip past France 67-66. France’s Gabby Williams potentially game-tying shot at the buzzer was ruled a two-pointer, as her foot was on the line.

Swoopes held nothing back in offering what the difference of having a veteran like Taurasi would have made on the bench. “Diana has that presence about her. She has that calmness, like, listen, I’ve been here before. Let me just calm everything down,” Swoopes said, garnering intangible qualities that Taurasi may have brought into action in those last minutes of the game.

A strategic shift for Diana Taurasi

This decision raised some questions regarding Reeve’s strategy. Was it a calculated risk to take and believe in the young kids, or was it a missed opportunity to get some veteran leadership out on the floor? Swoopes subtly leaned toward the latter, mentioning that it was an uncomfortably close game and that Taurasi’s presence might have made a difference in those tense final moments. “This is why Diana Taurasi is on this team,” Swoopes said, questioning why Taurasi wasn’t given more minutes when the game was on the line.

Yet, with all of Taurasi’s experience, Reeve chose to play more of the younger players in the game, such as Kahleah Copper, who was on the floor when it counted in the final quarter. She also drew attention for her work at the foul line and for playing both ways in the last quarter. “Well, we had Kalia Copper, and they did not. Because Kai saved the day yesterday,” Swoopes said, referring to Copper’s game-changing plays.

In the end, Team USA finally emerged as the victor, but there is an ongoing debate about where Taurasi fits in the game. Cheryl Reeve’s decisions in coaching are under the microscope for fans and analysts to weigh in on the pros and cons of her approach. Now that Team USA has moved to 61 straight victories, perhaps the focus will turn toward strategies down the road, and if they put their trust in experienced veterans like Taurasi during crucial situations, ​

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host, BG12, sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.