Rui Machida
FILE - Japan's Rui Machida (13) drives around United States's Brittney Griner (15) and Breanna Stewart (10), right, during the women's basketball gold medal game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. Machida is a 29-year-old rookie on the WNBA Washington Mystics. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Perseverance paying off for older rookies in the WNBA

By Pat Eaton-Robb May. 20, 2022 12:08 PM EDT

FILE - Belgium's Emma Meesseman (11) drives to the basket between China's Siyu Wang, left, and Yueru Li, right, during a women's basketball preliminary game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Aug. 2, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. Meesseman, the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP, decided to join the league's reigning champion Chicago Sky as a free agent. Meesseman missed last season while helping Belgium prep for the Tokyo Olympics. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
China's 6-10 Han among international WNBA players to watch

By Doug Feinberg May. 06, 2022 02:20 AM EDT

Japan players celebrate their win over France in a women's semifinal basketball game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Japan women rout France 87-71 to reach 1st gold medal game

By Teresa M. Walker Aug. 06, 2021 09:39 AM EDT

Japan's Nako Motohashi (15) drives to the basket against Belgium's Kim Mestdagh (5) during a women's basketball quarterfinal game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Hayashi's 3 lifts Japan into semis, ousting Belgium 86-85

By Teresa M. Walker Aug. 04, 2021 06:23 AM EDT