5:20 PM ET
Mechelle VoepelESPN.com
CloseMechelle Voepel covers the WNBA, women’s college basketball, and other college sports for espnW. Voepel began covering women’s basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996.
LAS VEGAS — Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi, who is dealing with a hip injury, said she doesn’t expect to play in Wednesday’s All-Star Game for Team USA against Team WNBA.
“I probably won’t play. My goal is to be ready for the Olympics,” Taurasi said in video call with media Tuesday. “Preparation is key. So at this point in my career, I think being ready for Tokyo is what’s best for our team and me. So I’m taking it day by day. I’m getting better, and I’ll be fine once the real games start.”
Taurasi, 39, will be headed to her fifth Olympics for Team USA, as will Seattle’s Sue Bird, 40. Taurasi did not say if she would play in Team USA’s exhibition games this week in Las Vegas against Australia on Friday and Nigeria on Sunday. The Americans open Olympic group play in Tokyo on July 27 against Nigeria.
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Taurasi has been limited to seven of the Mercury’s 19 games this season. She dealt first with a sternum fracture that kept her out games from May 21 to June 27. After returning to play three games, she suffered an injury she said was “pretty much a hip pointer” and hasn’t played since July 3.
There are no alternates who train with Team USA, so no one will be named to replace Taurasi on Wednesday if she doesn’t play. Team USA will be going for its seventh consecutive gold medal in Tokyo.
The WNBA All-Star Game is Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET and will be aired on ESPN and the ESPN App.