The basic definition of what makes a sports dynasty is when a team or individual produces a sustained run of excellence. If any team has gone above and beyond such a premise, it is the USA Basketball Women’s National Team.
In a thrilling, nail-biting 67-66 win over France on Sunday, Team USA closed out the Paris Olympics with their eighth-consecutive gold medal and 61st-consecutive Olympic victory. A feat which is unparalleled in international basketball history. When it comes to sustaining a consistent run of dominance in the midst of rapid change in sports and other aspects of society, the American women have come to epitomize the true essence of dynasty.
The beginning of the dynasty can be traced back to the historic 1996 Olympic team, led by head coach Tara VanDerveer and featuring future legends Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo and Dawn Staley. After an exhibition tour in which they won an outstanding 59-consecutive games, they steamrolled their way into Atlanta to put women’s basketball on the map. They are credited with paving the way for the launch of the WNBA in 1997.
Since then, the women of Team USA have never relented on the world stage. Even as dynasty runs in other sports (Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the NBA;
