Sabrina Ionescu, Olivia Miles and the 5 biggest Team USA roster snubs

The Team USA roster was announced and there are some big WNBA names left off of it. Olivia Miles might be the biggest fan favorite left off the list. But there are also some players who were at the last Olympics that didn't make the roster, like Sabrina Ionescu and Alyssa Thomas. There are even some players who still haven't gotten their shot.

Here are the five biggest snubs on this Team USA roster.

1. Olivia Miles

Miles is a rookie, but her numbers — no one would ever know. She's one of the best guards in the league already and has even been in talks for MVP at times. Her rookie year looks very similar to Candace Parker's when she won the Rookie of the Year Award and Most Valuable Player Award in the same year.

Maybe she got left off the list because of her inexperience, but she's proven that she doesn't play like it. She led the Lynx, a team that wasn't supposed to be in championship contention, to the No. 1 spot in the standings. And she did it without the runner-up MVP on their team. If that doesn't show maturity and readiness, what else will? Miles didn't make this roster, but don't be surprised if she makes the next one.

2. Shakira Austin

This is a player whose time has been feeling like it's coming. Shakira Austin's game has been reaching new heights this year. She's averaging 15.9 points and 9.5 rebounds on the Mystics. Looking at a box score, it's not apparent why she should be on the roster. But her leadership on her team is why she deserves a spot.

As a center, she's second on her team in scoring and has been vital in making Washington playoff contenders this year. Her rim protection is unlike many others and she's single-handly has brought back Washington in many wins this year, a trait that's needed on Team USA.

3. Kelsey Mitchell

Kelsey Mitchell has been consistently snubbed for a Team USA roster spot her whole career and it happened again. She's never been named to a 5x5 roster in her 10 years of WNBA experience. The difference this year is she's playing the best basketball of her career. She's averaging 24 points and 2.7 assists on the Fever, meaning she's leading the team over Caitlin Clark, who is on this roster. Clark deserves to be on this roster for sure, but if she deserves it, then so does Mitchell.

4. Alyssa Thomas

Talk about a versatile player. Thomas has the most triple-doubles in the WNBA and she's left off the roster. She's someone who can do it all for the team, whether that's facilitating the offense or making a crucial stop or shot. Thomas is known as a player who will push her teammates to their best, which might be her biggest asset to this young team.

She's a physical player who will stop at nothing to get a bucket. Especially when the team starts playing when games mean more, physicality and dominance are important when it comes to FIBA basketball.

5. Sabrina Ionescu

One of the biggest surprises was seeing Ionescu off this list. Granted, the last couple of years she hasn't been playing the best basketball of her career, but she's an undeniable shooter. She was named to the 2024 Paris Olympics and won a gold medal, even though she wasn't at her best. In Paris, she didn't play much, so the former No. 1 pick still has something to prove.

She is a streaky player who gets really cold or really hot at times. When she's hot, though, there's no stopping her. Ionescu's shooting has been trending upwards towards this second half of the season, so if she can figure it out, she might find her way back on this roster.

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