Three Phoenix Mercury stars have been in the headlines following their selections to Team USA ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Mercury’s Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Kahleah Copper will all dawn the red, white and blue in hopes of bringing another gold medal home.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!However, those aren’t the only three Mercury stars headed to Paris in late July. Mercury wing Bec Allen will be making her second-Olympic appearance, representing Australia.
“It’s huge,” Allen said when asked about what competing in the 2024 Olympics means to her. “Also hearing the national anthem, I don’t hear it a lot. So when I’m there and it’s playing, it always feels different. But there’s no feeling like wearing the opals colors, the green and gold, being out there with my sisters in that sense. It’s really beautiful.”
Allen participated in the Tokyo Olympics, but like many others, didn’t have a fond experience. With all of the factors that went into delaying it another year on top of COVID spreading like wildfire, Allen claims that she wasn’t able to enjoy her time.
This time around, Allen is focused on soaking in the moments. Creating memories, spending time with her family, and enjoying her time is her main goal on a personal level.
"Tokyo was hard to enjoy. There were so many factors even with COVID being the main one."
Phoenix Mercury F Rebecca Allen (@becallen8) on how she plans to take in what the Paris Olympics have to offer after a difficult time in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.#ValleyTogether #WNBA pic.twitter.com/BIvH7BDQ7G
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) June 12, 2024
“I just want to come to this one and enjoy it,” Allen said. “Tokyo was really hard to enjoy. There were just so many factors, COVID being the main one. So it wasn’t a real Olympics. For me to have my family in the stands, it’s going to be really big.”
Allen will cross paths with many players across the WNBA, including her own teammates. When asked if she’s up to talking trash when playing against her Mercury teammates, she said yes. And she specifically name-dropped Diana Taurasi.
"I hope so and I hope it would be DT."
Our @AlecCipollini asked Phoenix Mercury forward and now three-time Olympian Rebecca Allen (@becallen8) about the possibility of Australia playing Team USA and friendly trash talk with Diana Taurasi if they do.#ValleyTogether #WNBA pic.twitter.com/aIyuJ55HID
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) June 12, 2024
“She’ll [Taurasi] say that she knows all the plays,” Allen joked. “I think she does. It’ll be fun.”
Allen also mentioned that through her time in the WNBA, she’s made friends on other teams. She mentioned that it’ll be interesting to see players take on other roles, roles that they aren’t commonly used to.
“I think that playing in this league for a while, you also make a lot of friendships within the other team,” Allen said. “It’s always fun when you go to your national teams, and people play a different role there as well. It’s fun seeing people thrive within those environments.”
Diana Taurasi speaks on 6th Olympic selection, reflects on past experiences
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Justin LaCertosa covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @LaCertosaSports
