<header style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; caret-color: rgb(35, 42, 49); color: rgb(35, 42, 49); font-family: YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Katie Lou Samuelson off Tokyo Olympic 3x3 team after falling ill with COVID-19
</header><a class="link rapid-noclick-resp caas-attr-logo" data-ylk="" href="https://www.yahoo.com/author/cassandra-negley" target="_top" title="" style="position: relative; margin-right: 10px; display: inline-block; height: 40px; width: 40px; vertical-align: middle; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none;"><amp-img alt="Cassandra Negley" class="caas-img caas-attr-img i-amphtml-layout-fixed i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-built i-amphtml-layout" height="40" i-amphtml-layout="fixed" src="https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/AW/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg" srcset="https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w47/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg 47w, <a href=" https:="" s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org="" ii="" w82="" s="" s.yimg.com="" ny="" api="" res="" 1.2="" ad9_cgcsawfjb.qh9jfgvq--="" yxbwawq9aglnagxhbmrlcjt3ptgwo2g9oda-="" uu="" qozbi6kvovlj4wxithv58q--~b="" ad0xotq0o3c9mju5mjthchbpzd15dgfjahlvbg--="" media.zenfs.com="" creatr-images="" glb="" 2018-09-12="" 9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg"="" target="_blank">https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w82/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg</amp-img> 82w, <a href="https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w120/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg" target="_blank">https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.o...c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg 120w" width="40" i-amphtml-auto-lightbox-visited="" style="display: inline-block; position: absolute; border: n;">
<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/author/cassandra-negley" target="_blank">Cassandra
Katie Lou Samuelson, a key member of Team USA's first-ever 3x3 women's basketball team, was placed in COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Saturday and will not compete in the tournament, USA Basketball announced on Monday.
"Our hearts are broken for Lou," USA Basketball 3x3 said in a statement on Twitter. "We thank her for her endless commitment to building up USA Basketball 3x3 & we will miss her dearly in Tokyo."
Samuelson, a member of the Seattle Storm, will be replaced by Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young. She joins Kelsey Plum (Aces), Allisha Gray (Dallas Wings) and Stefanie Dolson (Chicago Sky) for the U.S.
Samuelson will miss 3x3 debut
Samuelson, 24, won 3x3 gold medals at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and the 2013 FIBA U18 Wold Cup. She would have been the first USA Basketball player to compete at both the Youth Olympic Games and Olympics.
She said on Instagram she fell ill with COVID and is devastated to miss the Olympics. She said she is part of the 99 percent of WNBA players who are fully vaccinated.
Samuelson is coming off a breakout season in Europe that closed with a Spanish League title while playing for Perfumerías Avenida. She was named to the All-EuroLeague first-team and is a leading contributor for the Storm behind Olympians Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Sue Bird.
</header><a class="link rapid-noclick-resp caas-attr-logo" data-ylk="" href="https://www.yahoo.com/author/cassandra-negley" target="_top" title="" style="position: relative; margin-right: 10px; display: inline-block; height: 40px; width: 40px; vertical-align: middle; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none;"><amp-img alt="Cassandra Negley" class="caas-img caas-attr-img i-amphtml-layout-fixed i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-built i-amphtml-layout" height="40" i-amphtml-layout="fixed" src="https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/AW/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg" srcset="https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w47/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg 47w, <a href=" https:="" s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org="" ii="" w82="" s="" s.yimg.com="" ny="" api="" res="" 1.2="" ad9_cgcsawfjb.qh9jfgvq--="" yxbwawq9aglnagxhbmrlcjt3ptgwo2g9oda-="" uu="" qozbi6kvovlj4wxithv58q--~b="" ad0xotq0o3c9mju5mjthchbpzd15dgfjahlvbg--="" media.zenfs.com="" creatr-images="" glb="" 2018-09-12="" 9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg"="" target="_blank">https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w82/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg</amp-img> 82w, <a href="https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w120/s/s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/AD9_cGcSawFjB.Qh9JfGVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/QozbI6KvOvLJ4wXIThv58Q--~B/aD0xOTQ0O3c9MjU5MjthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-09-12/9095bb50-b6c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg" target="_blank">https://s-yimg-com.cdn.ampproject.o...c3-11e8-95c6-2f33fdc1852c_20170409_124703.jpg 120w" width="40" i-amphtml-auto-lightbox-visited="" style="display: inline-block; position: absolute; border: n;">
Katie Lou Samuelson, a key member of Team USA's first-ever 3x3 women's basketball team, was placed in COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Saturday and will not compete in the tournament, USA Basketball announced on Monday.
"Our hearts are broken for Lou," USA Basketball 3x3 said in a statement on Twitter. "We thank her for her endless commitment to building up USA Basketball 3x3 & we will miss her dearly in Tokyo."
Samuelson, a member of the Seattle Storm, will be replaced by Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young. She joins Kelsey Plum (Aces), Allisha Gray (Dallas Wings) and Stefanie Dolson (Chicago Sky) for the U.S.
Samuelson will miss 3x3 debut
Samuelson, 24, won 3x3 gold medals at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and the 2013 FIBA U18 Wold Cup. She would have been the first USA Basketball player to compete at both the Youth Olympic Games and Olympics.
She said on Instagram she fell ill with COVID and is devastated to miss the Olympics. She said she is part of the 99 percent of WNBA players who are fully vaccinated.
"I am devastated to share that after getting sick with COVID-19, I will not be able to go and compete in Tokyo. Competing in the Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and I hope someday soon, I can come back to realize that dream. I am especially heartbroken as I am fully vaccinated and took every precaution, but I know everything will work itself out in the way it's supposed to.
"I wish nothing but the best to my USAB teammates as they go out there and crush it. I'll be cheering you on every step of the way."
The former UConn Huskies star has experienced a string of tough breaks in her young career. She broke her foot as a freshman during the 2016 national semifinals and couldn't play in the final that UConn won. She had to undergo ankle surgery following her junior year. In 2019, her rookie year with the Chicago Sky, she missed time with a hand injury.
Samuelson is coming off a breakout season in Europe that closed with a Spanish League title while playing for Perfumerías Avenida. She was named to the All-EuroLeague first-team and is a leading contributor for the Storm behind Olympians Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Sue Bird.
