WNBA star Jackie Young was a late addition to Team USA's 3x3 basketball team.- Young was on vacation when she was recruited as a late substitute to join the team in Tokyo.
- Young accepted the deal, and 10 days later, was wearing a gold medal around her neck.
On July 17, WNBA player Jackie Young was not thinking about the Olympics.
The league was on a break as players took part in the Tokyo Games, and Young took time to sneak in a quick Florida vacation before heading back to the court.
Young didn't realize just how short that vacation would be. She soon received a call from USA Basketball director Jay Demings, asking if she was ready to be an Olympian instead.
Hours earlier, one of the four team members - Katie Lou Samuelson - had tested positive for COVID-19, and would be unavailable to join the team in Tokyo. Rather than take on the tournament without a fourth player, Young was pitched to join the team as a late addition.
After a trip back home to Las Vegas to pack and take a few COVID tests of her own that turned up negative, Young was off to Tokyo to join her teammates, who had already arrived for the games.
There was little time to get acclimated, with two games to play each day, but Young found her grove quickly and meshed with Kelsey Plum, Allisha Gray, and Stefanie Dolson.
The foursome dominated through the group stage, with their only loss coming to Japan in the last game of the group stage after they had already secured their spot in the knockout rounds.
In the final, Team USA took down Russia 18-15 to win the first 3x3 gold medal in Olympic history.
-#TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 28, 2021
"It's crazy to think about," Young said after the win. "Ten days ago, I was on vacation. My life changed like that. Now I'm a gold-medalist. It's crazy how things work out."
Young's next game with the Las Vegas Aces isn't until August 15. Hopefully, between now and then, she can get back to the beach and enjoy the vacation she had been trying to take before her Olympic adventure began.
She earned it, and she has the gold medal to prove it.