It was tough for Marynell Meadors to keep her lips sealed.
When you get an honor this big, you want to let people know as soon as possible. But the Atlanta Dream's coach was under a strict gag order not to reveal the news: She had been chosen as an assistant for the U.S. Olympics women's basketball team. Her wait lasted a month before USA Basketball's announcement.
"Having the opportunity to represent the United States in the Olympics is an experience that most people don't have, and I'm very thankful that I was selected," she said.
Meadors isn't the only London-bound representative from the Dream. The WNBA's leading scorer, Angel McCoughtry, is one of the 12 players who will don the red, white and blue for coach Geno Auriemma's squad. And McCoughtry can't wait to play for the legendary Connecticut coach.
"I love playing under Geno so much," she said. "I'm just excited to continue to learn from him because he's the best coach in the world. He's the best coach in the world, definitely. With the best coach in the world, the best players in the world, how can I not be excited about everything?"
Both Meadors and McCoughtry said it was great that they will get to represent the United States together, something no other WNBA player/coach combination on the team can say, though half the players on the roster played for Auriemma in college. As much as Meadors may want to do some extra coaching, she knows Auriemma is the person McCoughtry will answer to in London.
"Geno will be in charge of her, but it will be good to see Angel play with all those stars," she said. "Every one of them are just great athletes and great stars in our game."
Playing is only one of the things on McCoughtry's mind. She had her bags packed weeks in advance of the trip. She has never been to England, and wants to take advantage of seeing the sights, just like any other tourist would.
"I've already been asking people what to go and look at and what to go see. I want to see [Buckingham Palace]," she said. "And the 'Jack the Ripper' tour. I want to go check that out."
She also will be on the lookout for the flag at Buckingham Palace, an indicator that Queen Elizabeth is present. Meeting the queen is something McCoughtry has dreamed of doing.
"I would just love to shake the queen's hand and give her my highest regards and respect," she said.
While meeting the queen may not happen, one person McCoughtry and Meadors will reunite with is Erika de Souza. The Dream's top rebounder for three of the past four seasons has yet to take the floor for the team in 2012. The Brazilian has been training with her country's national team since the fall, but will rejoin the Dream after the Olympics.
"I cannot wait to see Erika," McCoughtry said. "I miss her so much."
As long as the U.S. team isn't playing against de Souza, Meadors said she will cheer on her and her Brazilian teammates. Though she hasn't seen her in-person this year, Meadors said she communicates with de Souza via email "all the time."
The WNBA season will resume after the Olympics. Meadors will stay abreast of the individual workouts going on in Atlanta, checking in every day. She believed the break will prove beneficial to some of the Dream's younger players who need additional seasoning.
"I just think it'll be a great opportunity for us to spend a little time with our players to make them better," she said. "Then we've just got to combine it together once we get home and reconvene."
But first, Meadors and McCoughtry have business to attend to. The pair took differing viewpoints on the toll the delicate balancing act between "job versus country" has taken. Meadors acknowledged "it's been very busy" juggling between the two roles.
McCoughtry begged to differ.
"It's not a challenge. It's my job," she said. "It's what I love to do. It's the best job ever."
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