WNBA Takes Notice As Jackie Young Makes Basketball History After FIBA World Cup
Jackie Young has completed a rare basketball resume after winning FIBA World Cup gold, adding another major title to her high school, NCAA, WNBA and Olympic achievements
Jackie Young already had an impressive list of basketball titles before arriving in Berlin. Now, the Las Vegas Aces guard has added the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup to it. Young helped Team USA beat France 97-79 on September 13, scoring 18 points with six rebounds and five assists. The win gave the United States its fifth straight World Cup title. It also gave Young a rare piece of basketball history that the WNBA was quick to recognize.
Jackie Young Completes Rare Basketball Title Collection
Young is now the first player to win a high school state championship, an NCAA championship, a WNBA championship, Olympic gold in both 3x3 and 5x5 basketball, and a FIBA World Cup. She entered the tournament without a senior World Cup title, making Sunday's win the final piece of her collection.
The achievement began long before Young reached the WNBA. At Princeton Community High School in Indiana, she helped the team win the 2015 Class 3A state title. At Notre Dame, she won the 2018 NCAA championship before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft.
Young then built her professional resume with the Las Vegas Aces, winning three WNBA championships. She also won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 3x3 basketball and Paris in 5x5. The World Cup was the one major senior USA Basketball title missing from her list. That changed in Berlin.
Jackie Young Shines As Team USA Wins Fifth Straight World Cup
Young's final game gave her another reason to celebrate. She scored 18 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out five assists as the Americans came back from a first-half deficit to beat France. She was also the only American to score in double figures in all six World Cup games.
Her strong tournament earned Young a place on the FIBA World Cup All-Star Five alongside Team USA teammate Breanna Stewart, France's Gabby Williams, Germany's Leonie Fiebich and Spain's Iyana MartÃn. Young finished the tournament with averages of 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
The timing could not be better for Young and the Aces. The WNBA season is set to resume on September 17, with Las Vegas returning to league action after the World Cup break. Young now heads back with another gold medal, another major honor and a place in basketball history that few players can match.