Lynx players going to Rio

Four members of the Lynx will play in the Olympic women's basketball tournament, part of a 12-member U.S. team that opens pool play Aug. 7 against Senegal. The gold and bronze medal games are Aug. 20. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve is an assistant coach for an American team favored to win its sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

Seimone Augustus: A mainstay of the Lynx since they made her the No. 1 pick in the 2006 WNBA draft, Augustus has an impressive USA Basketball résumé to go with her three WNBA titles. She has won eight gold medals in international competition and will play in her third Olympics. Augustus was a key reserve for the U.S. at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, appearing in all 16 games and averaging 7.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Follow her at @seimoneaugustus (Twitter) and @moneymone33 (Instagram).

Sylvia Fowles: Like Augustus, her college teammate at LSU, Fowles made the U.S. Olympic team for the third time. She gave the Americans a strong post presence off the bench at the Beijing Games in 2008 and the London Games in 2012, with a total of 85 rebounds and a field-goal percentage of .636. Fowles ranks seventh on the U.S. Olympic career list for rebounds and eighth for field-goal percentage. Follow her at @SylviaFowles (Twitter and Instagram).

Maya Moore: The 2012 Olympian enters her second Summer Games after a stellar performance at the 2014 world championships. Moore led the U.S. with 15.3 points per game, shot 52 percent from three-point range and was named the tournament's most valuable player as the Americans went 6-0 to win the gold medal. The USA Basketball female athlete of the year in 2014, Moore is one of only eight players to win an NCAA championship, a WNBA title and gold medals at the Olympics and world championships. Follow her at @MooreMaya (Twitter, Instagram).

Lindsay Whalen: The Hutchinson, Minn., native and former Gophers star will play in her second Olympics. She came off the bench at the London Games to average 8.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, and she also helped the U.S. win world championships in 2014 and 2010. U.S. coach Geno Auriemma has called Whalen an "invaluable part'' of the national team and praised her for her leadership and consistency. Follow her at @Lindsay_13 (Twitter) and @LindsayWhalen (Instagram).

RACHEL BLOUNT