Photo credit: Instagram/sydd.taylor
Chicago Sky guard Sydney Taylor will represent the United States at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup in El Salvador. USA Basketball announced Taylor’s selection on Oct. 23, adding the WNBA guard to a four-player women’s roster aiming to defend its continental title.
The tournament runs from Oct. 28 through Nov. 1 in San Salvador. Pool play for the U.S. women begins Oct. 31, when the team opens its bid to win another championship.
Sydney Taylor joins an experienced women’s roster
Taylor will play alongside Aerial Powers, Flau’jae Johnson and Aziaha James. All four players have WNBA experience, while Taylor and Powers also bring experience in international 3×3 competition.
Taylor competed in the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series in 2023 and 2024. She also played for the USA 3×3 Nations League team in 2023.
Powers has represented the United States in the Women’s Series this year. She also won a WNBA championship with the Washington Mystics in 2019.
Johnson brings international success and a strong college résumé. She helped the United States win the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup and played on LSU’s 2023 NCAA championship team. James, meanwhile, is set to make her USA Basketball debut.
Team USA’s men bring international experience
The men’s roster features Riley Battin, Henry Caruso, Jimmer Fredette and Mitch Hahn. The four players compete together for Team Miami on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour.
Caruso and Hahn represented the United States at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Men’s World Cup. They have also won gold at each of the last two AmeriCup tournaments. Battin helped the U.S. win the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup in Bangkok.
Fredette returns to the 3×3 national team for the first time since the 2024 Olympics. The former BYU star will make his fifth national team appearance.
Coaches aim to extend the U.S. winning run
Christina Batastini will lead the women’s team. She guided the United States to gold at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Women’s World Cup and bronze at the Women’s Champions Cup. She also coached the U.S. women to AmeriCup gold in 2025.
Will Ferris will coach the men. He led the team to gold at the 2025 men’s AmeriCup and coached the United States at this year’s Men’s World Cup.
When does Team USA begin AmeriCup play?
The U.S. women open Pool B on Oct. 31 against the winner of Qualifying Draw A, then face the Cayman Islands. The men begin Pool A against a qualifying draw winner and host nation El Salvador.
The top two teams in each three-team pool advance to the quarterfinals on Nov. 1. Fans can watch the tournament live on the FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel.
The United States enters as the reigning champion in both competitions. The women have won three AmeriCup titles, while the men have claimed four of the last five. The tournament winners also earn a place in the 2027 FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup.
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