Oct. 2, 2009 • Washington, D.C.

This week marks Candice Dupree's first stint in the red USA Basketball Women's National Team jersey and she's making the most of the opportunity.
Daily Factoid: With three players owning the same name, how do you know if Candace, Candice or Candice is being called for a pass or a drill? Simple: CD is Candice Dupree, Ice is Candice Wiggins and Ace is Candace Parker. It’s that simple! Photo Gallery Today's Video

On the third day of practice, the USA team, which upped its talent level with the addition of Candace Parker, continued to improve and gel as a team. The coaching staff kept pushing the team to get better, called players out for both good and bad plays and the practice had an overall good vibe. USA Basketball.com chatted with a few of the athletes following practice to find out what they thought of the training camp after three practice sessions.

Alana Beard, Washington Mystics
You’re here as an observer due to your ankle. How do you feel the training camp is progressing from your view on the sideline?
Like coach said in the huddle, and I agree with him, today was a very competitive practice. Everyone comes out and when they step out on the court, it’s in their minds to make everyone else better. That’s really good to see. Everyone is coming together as a team. I’ve never been able to sit out and just watch it happen. You see people emerging as the ones who talk more, the ones who are quiet, the ones who like to play defense, the ones who can score. You sit and watch and see who can do what. That’s kind of nice.

Has anyone really stood out or surprised you?
Tina Charles. I’ve never seen her play and I’m very impressed by her. As a big girl she’s very agile and in control of everything that she does. She impresses me a lot. And then Maya Moore, I’ve really never gotten the chance to see her play either. Both of them are very impressive to me in what they can do. They’re very poised, considering they are among a lot of older, experienced players.

You were coached by Geno Auriemma in 2000 and 2001 on a pair of USA junior teams. Is he pretty much the same coach?
Same guy. He hasn’t changed one bit. He gives it to you straight. He gets straight to the point in practice and either you do it or you don’t.

Is it strange being out here without some of the recently retired USA Basketball veterans?
Yeah. It’s a young team. This is the crossover. Like I said, it’s good to see people coming out and stepping into this role. I think we’re in hands with Geno leading the way. I think we’re in very good hands as USA Basketball continues.

Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
On the USA’s training camp:
Training camp has been really good so far. Obviously it’s the first time we’re getting together with this coaching staff. So it’s a lot of learning, but the best part is that coach Auriemma is a great teacher and we have a really good group that is just soaking it all up. Practice has been really efficient. He teaches something. We learn it. We don’t forget and we can keep it moving that way so we can get a lot in. It’s going really well.

Is it odd to look around and not see some of your former teammates like Lisa Leslie, Katie Smith and Tina Thompson?
Yeah, it is a little weird. In terms of my USA Basketball experience there have definitely been some players who have defined it for me just by their presence. So yeah, it’s a little weird not having them here, but that’s just the way it goes. I’m the reigning veteran I guess, so I’m just trying to hold it down until those guys (the players in the Finals) come back.

Candice Dupree, Chicago Sky
What’s it been like for you being out here as part of the USA National Team’s training camp?
I’m just trying to soak it all in, trying to make sure I don’t miss a beat. Geno’s giving us a lot of information right now. I’m trying to make sure it all registers. I’m trying to play hard. I get to play with people I probably would never have the opportunity to play with. They’re great players, great people off the court. I’m just having fun.

What kind of leadership does Sue Bird bring to the team?
She’s doing a great job. She’ll pull you aside, talk to you during drills and stuff like that if she feels like you’re doing something wrong. If I have a question I’ll ask her because not only is she leading this team, but she’s also played for Geno. So she has some familiarity with some of his systems and plays and stuff like that.

Did you talk to Dawn Staley, your former college coach, before coming out for any pointers?
I did text her. She asked me if I was ready and stuff like that, told me to go out there and play hard.

Do you think you’ve been making her proud?
I think so. I’m trying to. So far, I’ve been trying to ask people what I need to be doing differently or working harder on. So far everything’s been going pretty well.

Crystal Langhorne, Washington Mystics
How has training camp been for you the past three days?
I think training camp have been coming along really well. Geno has us working hard. It’s very competitive. I think we’re looking good.

Has your past experience with the USA National team at the 2008 Good Luck Beijing Tournament and your phenomenal 2008-09 EuroLeague and 2009 WNBA seasons really helped your confidence level out here?
It’s made me feel a lot more comfortable. Especially last year. I was just coming out of college and playing with all the pros (in China), it made this year a lot easier for me to come into it.

Candice Wiggins, Minnesota Lynx
How has training camp been for you the past three days?
It’s been great. It’s been nothing but great since day one. Geno is the man. It’s my first time playing for him and he’s probably one of the easiest people I’ve ever had to play for my whole life. That’s a compliment because there are a lot of great coaches out there, but I think he’s the perfect guy for this. He’s going to get the best team together. He’s going to have everybody playing hard. The offense is brilliant to me. It’s very reminiscent of our offense at Stanford. Everybody’s playing hard, playing together, playing smart. We’re our biggest competition. Whatever our national team looks like, whoever’s on it, the first five is going to be the best team in the world. The second five’s going to be the second best team in the world. It’s just been great, a lot of fun.

How different is your confidence level in this training camp from the first USA National Team you were on in 2007?
Night and day. I think that’s just how it is. That’s what experience does. It makes you more confident. It makes you more aware and able to do things that you weren’t able to do before. Because now you know what works and you’re more sure about what you need to do.

Do you feel this is your chance to help mold the future of the USA National Team?
I think so. I’ll take on that responsibility. I know that obviously it’s the national team, it’s not about just one person, but I know that me, Candace (Parker), Sylvia (Fowles), Crystal (Langhorne), we have such a tight connection and rapport with each other. Obviously with other people, too, but seeing them you have that sense of family a little bit. I think that that are the same characteristics that Dawn (Staley) and Lisa (Leslie) had. All of the great teams of the past have had. What Sue (Bird) and Diana (Taurasi) have. Those kinds of things are important. It’s more than just playing basketball on the court. It’s also having that sense of family and making it that special experience.

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