PARIS & LILLE (France) - The dust is already settling on an epic Women's Olympic Baskteball Tournament Paris 2024 and so it's time to reflect on which ballers made the biggest impression for their respective teams. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
We have picked out the players that can get their hands on the crown of being their team's MVP!
Elise Ramette - Belgium
Stats: 9.5 FF, 7.2 points, 3.7 assists - 43.8% FG, 41.7% 3PT, 75.0% FT
Identified as one of three unsung heroes after the conclusion of the Group phase in Lille, the big question was whether the guard could continue her eye-catching contributions in the knockout phase. Or, would she fade away and struggle to maintain her newfound level?
Well. Ramette continued to shine and contribute in Paris in the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals. The Cats often looked better with her on the floor. They aren't huge numbers, but she is the definition of a breakout tournament for someone who barely featured previously.
Jade Melbourne - Australia
Stats: 6.8 EFF, 7.0 points, 2.8 assists per game - 39.5% FG, 100% FT
The playmaking spot had a question mark against it for Australia and Melbourne has probably made it her own for the future. She had a really sticky and uncomfortable start as did the Opals in general, with a turnover frenzy against Nigeria in their first game.
Credit to Melbourne for showing the mental fortitude to bounce back. She can be a leader for the next decade if she keeps improving. Gutsy and composed as well as talented, she plays with a smile and has a visible love for the game. She just needs to work on that outside shot and be more consistent to get better numbers on the board.
She was named Paris 2024 Rising Star.
Trinity San Antonio - Puerto Rico
Stats: 10.7 EFF, 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 2.0 assists per game - 60.0% FG, 100.0% 3PT, 50.0% FT
Just 20-years-old, the guard was a very bright shining light for Puerto Rico and was one of the main reasons they twice came close to that first Olympic victory. Leading the entire tournament in steals, she showed an appetite for hard work and defense.
She was also the one player in her team who did a tremendous job offensively with her shot selection and execution when almost everyone else was struggling. San Antonio can become a centerpiece for her country in coming years.
Alanna Smith - Australia
Stats: 15.8 EFF, 11.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists per game - 52.0% FG, 41.7% 3PT, 63.2% FT
Even if Smith is 27-years-old, now a double-Olympian and played in a FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Final way back in 2018, this was the tournament when she showed she can be a real force on the biggest stage.
Perhaps driven by being dropped for the Worlds in Sydney two years ago, she was driven, purposeful, physical and just played really, really well en-route to her bronze medal.
Nyara Sabally - Germany
Stats: 19.5 EFF, 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds - 45.0% FG, 90.0% FT
This was the first ever major tournament for Sabally and even if she only played twice because of an injury, she showed that she is not destined to be overshadowed by her sister Satou and will be a leader for Germany too.
The forward was superb in the historical win against Belgium on opening day before being sidelined. While the team lost in the Quarter-Finals against France, she was the one player to emerge with huge credit on her return with another power-packed display.
FIBA