Elena Delle Donne to Lead USA Basketball Women’s 3×3

Former Olympian and WNBA champion Elena Delle Donne has been named the first general manager of the USA Basketball Women’s 3×3 national team, USA Basketball announced this Monday. Delle Donne will take responsibility for selecting the coaching staff and players for major international events, including the 2028 Olympic Games and the FIBA 3×3 World Cup, as well as participants for the program’s training camps.

USA Basketball was an important part of my on-court career for a decade and a half. Having the opportunity to continue my journey with the organization and help shape and grow the 3×3 program is something I take very seriously. I thank USA Basketball for trusting me with this position. I am excited to get started.

Elena Delle Donne

Previously, Jimmer Fredette was named general manager of the men’s 3×3 team earlier this year. This new role follows the model of the incorporation of Sue Bird, five-time Olympic gold medalist, as general manager of the United States women’s national team in May, changing the focus from using a committee to select players and coaching staff. The men’s team has had this figure for two decades, with Grant Hill currently performing that function.

From being an Olympic and World Cup gold medalist to a WNBA champion, MVP, and seven-time WNBA All-Star, Elena brings an impressive basketball pedigree to this position. Elena has been a member of the USA Basketball family for nearly 15 years. Her vast experience in the sport of basketball and in our organization will be an asset as we continue our path towards the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Jim Tooley, CEO of USA Basketball

The women’s 3×3 team won the gold medal in the Olympic debut of this discipline at the Tokyo 2020 Games, but did not manage to repeat the feat in Paris, obtaining the bronze in 2024. Delle Donne has been involved with USA Basketball since 2011, highlighting her gold medal with the senior national team at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The two-time WNBA MVP announced her retirement earlier this year, after a distinguished career in the league (2013-23), where she was a seven-time All-Star and champion in 2019 with the Washington Mystics. Since then, she has been named a special advisor to Monumental Basketball, the parent company of the Mystics and the Washington Wizards.