June 2, 2008

Two former USC women's basketball players are all set to make yet another run at Olympic gold this summer. Trojans Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson were recently named to the U.S. Women's Basketball Olympic Team, ready to compete for Team USA at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The two Southern California natives already have paid visits to the top of the Olympic podium in previous Games. As the USA pursues its fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal, it has two solid winning anchors in Leslie and Thompson. Leslie has won three golds with Team USA, and Thompson has won gold in the past two Games alongside Leslie.

USA Basketball announced the first nine players to be named to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team on May 31. The rest of the 12-player roster will be completed by July 1. Olympic women's basketball competition begins August 9 with the medal games wrapping up August 23 in Beijing.

Now set to be a four-time Olympian, Leslie had her USC jersey retired in 2006. Her jersey now hangs in USC's Galen Center in tribute to her outstanding career with the Women of Troy and beyond. Leslie also has gold medals from the 1998 and 2002 FIBA World Championships. A three-time WNBA MVP with the Los Angeles Sparks, Leslie ended her USC career (1992-94) as a three-time All-American with 2,414 career points. As a senior, Leslie was named the 1994 Naismith National Player of the Year.

Thompson is now bound for her third Olympic Games, where the accomplished USC alum takes aim at a third Olympic gold medal. She was also a gold-medalist with Leslie for the United State at the 2002 FIBA World Championships. At Troy, Thompson (1994-97) also was a three-time All-American and scored 2,248 points for USC before being the first-ever player drafted into the WNBA, where she won four consecutive WNBA championships with the Houston Comets.

For more information Leslie and Thompson's Olympic endeavors, and to follow Team USA in Beijing, visit usabasketball.com

CLICK HERE for USA Basketball Press Conference Quotes.