We all know A’ja, Stewie, Emma and Satou. But, what other players made a name for themselves in Lille in the women’s 5×5 competition?
The women’s 5×5 basketball group stage has concluded, and as teams make the trip to Paris from Lille, a hierarchy of players is being cast.
Like always, many of the tournament’s superstars have had similar fates in the WNBA. Belgium’s Emma Meesseman, the 2019 Finals MVP for the Washington Mystics, leads the tournament in points (26.3 per game) for the second-straight Olympics. Dallas Wings star Satou Sabally is second, and her 33 points in Germany’s win over Japan was the most scored in an Olympic game since 2016. A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart have been expectedly unguardable for Team USA. However, a handful of lesser known players are emerging as stars in their own right, and making their names known on the biggest stage.
Ezinne Kalu (Nigeria)
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Quite frankly, Nigeria’s entire roster deserves a nod for their performances thus far. Even the most-researched basketball analysts didn’t expect D’Tigress to make it out of Lille, and yet Nigeria finished group play with a 2-1 record and a positive point differential. They are the first African team—women’s or men’s—to reach the Olympic quarterfinals. They’ll take on Team USA, who hasn’t lost an Olympic game since 1992, on Wednesday.
Fans of Team USA who have yet to watch Nigeria compete will know the name Ezinne Kalu by the time the final whistle sounds. Kalu, who hails from Newark, New Jersey, had a prestigious career at Savannah State University before embarking on her ongoing international basketball journey. D’Tigress run through Kalu. She’s fifth in the tournament in scoring at 19.3 points per game, and all four players above her have been multiple-time WNBA All-Stars. She notched 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in Nigeria’s upset of Australia, one of the most well-rounded performances in the group stage.
Kalu’s best trait may be her ability to get to the free-throw line— something that’s often dismissed as a real skill in basketball discourse. She’s shooting 7.3 free throws per game (second in the tournament), and converting them at an 86.4 percent clip. She loves to play off two feet and jump into the body of bigger defenders, forcing them into a decision: go for the block and risk fouling or allow Kalu to score. If she gets downhill at the same rate against Team USA’s guards, she’ll put the American forwards in uncomfortable positions. Getting A’ja Wilson or Breanna Stewart in foul trouble would make Wednesday’s quarterfinal a lot more competitive.
Alexis Peterson (Germany)
Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Group C presented as an uphill battle for Germany, who had never before competed in an Olympic tournament. Between the indomitable Team USA, battle-tested Belgium and streaky Japan, German fans were content enough seeing their team take the court in Lille. After besting Belgium and Japan, Germany will be making the trip to Paris for the quarterfinals.
Satou Sabally is undoubtedly the star of the German side, but Alexis Peterson has proven just as important to their team success. Peterson has played the second-most minutes of anyone in the tournament, trailing only Emma Meesseman of Belgium. She’s averaging 13 points on 40/36/90 splits, adding six assists per game. Peterson has unmatched speed on the floor, and she paces a German offense that often looks lost when she’s on the bench. Sabally demands attention, but Peterson makes teams pay for affording her too much.
Peterson was the 2016 ACC Player of the Year at Syracuse and was selected No. 15 overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2017 WNBA Draft. She hasn’t played in the WNBA since her rookie season, but not for a lack of trying. Peterson was named to three different training camp rosters since 2018, most recently with the Las Vegas Aces before the 2023 season. Being overlooked has clearly fueled the 5-foot-5 point guard. She’s been the most animated personality on the court in France, especially in Germany’s matchup with Team USA. A motivated Alexis Peterson is one of the last things any team wants to see in the knockout stage.
Maki Takada (Japan)
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Albeit a return to reality, Japan’s winless group stage is disappointing in the shadow of their 2020 silver medal campaign. Losses to Germany and Belgium felt preventable for a team that dominated just three years prior. However, team struggles won’t invalidate impressive individual performances.
She’ll leave France empty handed, but Maki Takada made the most out of her third, and likely final, Olympic experience. Takada anchored Japan in scoring at 15.3 points per game, good for ninth in the group stage. She was easily the most efficient high-volume scorer in Lille, shooting 61.3 percent from the floor, 41.7 percent from 3 and 75 percent from the free throw line. On an undersized Japanese team that struggles to defend, Takada’s 6-foot-1 frame allowed her to compete on both ends of the floor.
Takada’s scoring output and efficiency were eerily similar to her production in Tokyo. While these Olympics have brought Japan’s collective ability into question, Takada has done nothing but solidify her own reputation as an offensive powerhouse. Age may unfortunately isolate Takada from WNBA contract offers. She has the skill and the size to compete with the league’s top talent, but extending a valuable roster spot to a 34-year-old with no stateside experience may be a lost cause for most general managers. Nonetheless, Takada could be a candidate for future expansion teams like the Golden State Valkyries, who may look to supplement their expansion roster with overseas talent.
Mai Yamamoto deserves a brief mention as well. The 24-year-old guard recorded 17 points and five assists against Team USA, but sustained a concussion in the game and was unable to compete in the other two group stage contests. Yamamoto, who was a member of Japan’s 3×3 team in the 2020 Olympics, quickly established herself as a top option for her country and will be a name to watch in international basketball going forward.
