SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico) – With a resumé that includes three FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cups, two Olympic gold medals, two national collegiate camps, a Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 and a WNBA MVP title in 2018, it seems as if Tina Charles has won everything under the sun.

However, the young 30-year-old veteran always finds the motivation and the drive to defend the red, white and blue, in what she calls a special opportunity considering the level of talent available in the United States.

"For me it's an honor to represent my country and just being on the highest platform,” said Charles to FIBA.basketball before the start of the FIBA Women's AmeriCup. "This is a very rare opportunity, especially in America. There’s a lot of talent, so being one of the twelve means the world to me. Whenever they call my name or ask me to come to training camp or go to a tournament, I'm always willing and able.” And it’s been like that since 2010, when she was convened to the national team for the first time.

Although she’s the absolute star in her WNBA pro team, Charles’ role changes with the national team. Here she must share the court with eleven other stars with the sole purpose of winning. She must also be a role model in the court for the rest of the young members of the group that see her as an example of USA Basketball's winning culture.

“The truth is that it’s a lot less about you when you're in the national team. There are so many big players around you that the role I play in New York isn't the same here. It's just doing the small things, running the court strong, setting good screens, ending near the basket. Nothing should be forced, everything should be easy, simply because of the level of talent we have,” Charles stated.

In this FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, Charles wishes to set the tune for her preparation to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo – in what would be her third Olympic appearance – where the United States will attempt to get their ninth gold medal. This is also an opportunity to fine-tune the offensive and defensive systems of Coach Dawn Staley and experience some of the best teams of the Americas, like Brazil and Canada.

“We came to this tournament to prepare for the ‘Big Dance’ if you want to say it like that,” said Charles. "This is an opportunity to get our team together, for our coaches to implement what they want to run, how we want to be seen, and what our identity will be. So, if there’s ever a chance for us to unite it's this. I know that in the United States we always want to be on top, at all times and at all costs. The fact that we can get together 12 women to come here and compete isn’t something we take for granted and we respect every team we face,” she added.

For Charles, having a coach that’s a former player that has won three Olympic gold medals, three FIBA Basketball Women's World Cup, and who has also been the United States’ flag bearer in the Olympic Games, is one of this team's greatest advantages.

“She knows what we physically need, she knows what must be said to set our minds, she knows what's needed to complete the task. She knows the players that will be needed to compete with the best of the best in the world. So, I would say that this is the advantage we have; having someone who’s a builder, who's a leader.”

The United States is currently in Group B of the FIBA Women's AmeriCup with Paraguay, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina.

Emmanuel Márquez
FIBA