RIO DE JANEIRO – After the U.S. women's basketball team's first practice in Rio, Lynx star Seimone Augustus told Cheryl Reeve to "grab the bags." It's not every day that a player gets to haze her coach, but Reeve is the only member of the Lynx on the American team who can be considered an Olympic rookie.
Augustus and Sylvia Fowles are playing in their third Olympics; Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen are playing in their second. Reeve finds herself in a different role and setting this month, working as an assistant coach for the first time in seven years while making her Olympic debut.
Sunday, the Americans carried a 41-game winning streak into their opener against Senegal and won 121-56. Reeve is accustomed to working with great talent and winning titles. The Lynx boast four Olympians and three WNBA titles in the past five years.
The difference is the Americans' depth. Their second unit probably would medal, if not win the gold.
"This group in particular is unbelievably talented," Reeve said. "Every game we go into and say, 'Who are we playing against?' Then we break down the rotation."
The U.S. started Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Moore, Brittney Griner and Tina Charles. "Then we bring in Lindsay and Seimone and Angel McCoughtry and Elena Delle Donne and Syl," Reeve said. "This group is not only talented; it's like our group at home, which is why I enjoy working with them so much. They're really good people. They really enjoy the process."
Which is a departure from Reeve's usual process. Uneasy rests the head that wears the whistle.
"I think what I enjoy now is that I think I'm a better assistant coach now than when I started out in the game," Reeve said. "Once you're a head coach, you have a way better understanding about what the head coach needs and what your role should be. Which is that every day we walk in and say, 'What do you want, Geno?'
