Huntington\u2019s Sydney Taylor has always dreamed of playing in the WNBA. That dream may be closer than ever to reality for the former St. Anthony’s star.<\/p>\n
Taylor will compete against some of the best 3×3 women’s basketball teams in the world on Friday and Saturday at 3XBA in Edmonton, Canada.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cWe get to play against another USA team, and I know a couple of the girls on some other teams out there. I\u2019m excited to get into Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Sydney Taylor of Huntington Credit: FIBA<\/p>\n
The 3XBA is an organization that prides itself as a pipeline to the WNBA and other professional circuits, utilizing the summer months to line up with FIBA\u2019s 3×3 tournaments. Transitioning to a three-player format from the traditional five-player lineup has its nuances.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot different,” Taylor said. “There\u2019s so much more space, so it forces you to create more off the dribble one-on-one. Reading little defenses can help your game when you go into five-on-five, picking up on small details that you wouldn\u2019t notice with nine other people on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps Taylor could put those skills to good use at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles<\/a>. After playing four\u00a0seasons at UMass and her graduate season at Louisville, she has\u00a0represented Team USA and was named the 2024 MVP of the FIBA 3×3 Women\u2019s Series in Quebec, averaging a tournament-best 6.8 points in the 10-minute games. It\u2019s even more notable considering the Olympic-level talent alongside her in then-teammates Hailey Van Lith, Kennedy Brown and Cierra Burdick, with Van Lith and Burdick winning 3×3 bronze medals in the 2024 Olympics<\/a>. Van Lith is currently playing\u00a0in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky and Burdick played five seasons in the WNBA.<\/p>\n Sydney Taylor of Huntington Credit: Keith Webber Photography<\/p>\n