The Olympics are coming!

This is the last week of WNBA play before play is suspended for over a month for the Olympic Games. Teams will play their last games either Wednesday or Thursday, and then will go directly to the East coast to meet as a team. League play won't resume until mid-August.

Los Angeles forward Candace Parker talked to me tonight about her feelings going into her second Olympic Games:

"I think I'm like a veteran now," she said with a smile. "I'm excited because this is my second time back so I know what to expect. This time I'm going to try to see more and go to more events. Just trying to win a gold medal - that's the goal."

Sparks Coach Carol Ross spoke to me about her plans for the team for the next month:

"I'm excited about the break," she said. "I'm excited that Candace is an Olympian and gets to represent our country. For me (the break) is great because we get to go back to training camp, which, unlike the players is my favorite time."

"We've had injuries so it's going to be good for (Ebony) Hoffman and (Nicky) Anosike and Andrea Riley, who we picked up late. It's going to be good for these players to have some good fundamental practices and to get back into a rhythm, a routine."

"We're going to treat it like training camp. We're going to get back to the basics and reevaluate and evaluate. Look and see what we've done, done well, what things we might need to try a different way. Try to polish up and get a plan for moving into the second half of the season."

My take: With the rash of injuries league-wide this year, the Olympic break seems like a great blessing.

Other Olympics and USA Basketball:

Seimone Augustus talks about her role on this summer's Olympic team.

USA Basketball:

Skylar Diggins, Chiney Ogwumike, Bria Hartley and Alyssa Thomas were named to the 3X3 National Team today. They'll represent the USA at the FIBA 3x3 World Championship in Athens, Greece, in August.