Mystics fans don’t think Ariel Atkins was snubbed from Team USA. And Wizards fans feel optimistic about Bilal Coulibaly’s Olympic chances.
Thanks for your responses to this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, Washington Wizards and Mystics fans. Let’s get to the results.
Mystics fans don’t believe Ariel Atkins was snubbed from the USA Basketball women’s national team
Latest @sbnreacts results are in. First, most of you don’t think Ariel Atkins was snubbed. pic.twitter.com/yqsfBlnS7P
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) June 15, 2024
This week, we decided to focus on Olympic basketball, and where the Washington Wizards and Mystics fit into it. First, we asked a question on whether you believe Mystics guard Ariel Atkins was snubbed from Team USA. Out of over 300 respondents, most of you don’t think she was a snub at all. Just 19 percent of you did.
I also don’t think Atkins’ omission is unwarranted, even if she was part of the 2020 Olympic and 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup teams. However, Team USA is stacked and the Mystics are the worst team in the WNBA to this point and Atkins has played all season.
Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray is injured and has yet to play for the team this season. In the even that she doesn’t play in the Olympics, it’s possible that Atkins could get a second look at Team USA due to her experience.
Wizards fans are optimistic that Bilal Coulibaly will make the France men’s national basketball team for the 2024 Olympics
But most of you feel that Bilal Coulibaly WILL be on Les Bleus in Lille this summer. pic.twitter.com/YWvZlMF7g8
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) June 15, 2024
The Mystics have other players who will be on other national teams so we’ll still cover Olympic women’s basketball this summer. But how about men’s basketball?
Right now, I’m apathetic to it unless a Wizards player makes a team. Bilal Coulibaly has the best chance to make it because he was previously named to Les Bleus’ preliminary roster.
Do I think that Coulibaly will make the team? I doubt it because France is one of the top countries in the world and there is plenty of NBA talent on Les Bleus without him. Also, it’s rare to see a younger player make a European national team barring someone having All-NBA/WNBA like talent like … San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (who still hasn’t officially made the French team yet) or former Mystics forward Emma Meesseman for Belgium in the mid 2010s (of course, she’s one of the biggest superstars in the women’s basketball world now).
That said, I’m in the minority, though I certainly would like to see him on the team. At any rate, 67 percent of you believe that he will be on Les Bleus playing at Decathlon Arena in Lille in less than two months.
Most of you don’t have less enthusiasm about Olympic basketball if there aren’t any or few local team players
Finally, yes, there was a reason why the “Doesn’t affect me either way” choice was there. Either way, most of you don’t lose enthusiasm when Wizards and Mystics players aren’t playing in the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/TMVGxmxGhz
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) June 15, 2024
Most of you, 60 percent said no and 3 percent said that you would have less enthusiasm for the Olympics if the Wizards and/or Mystics lacked representation. Now, why was there a choice titled “doesn’t affect me either way?”
It’s meant for those of you who are relatively apathetic about Olympic basketball altogether. So over a third of you are probably not that excited about these summer tournaments to begin with.
We’ll have more polls throughout the Washington Mystics’ season and the Wizards’ offseason!