Women's Basketball | Olympics turn Seattle Storm teammates into rivals

Sweat drips from Sue Bird's face.

Inside a muggy gym, she directs her Storm teammates around the court, running plays to her coach's desire. In a gym bag, her phone beeps another text message.

It is Lauren Jackson.

Even a half a world away, the Australian keeps close contact with her American friend, wanting to know the latest with the team. While Jackson trained with her Australian national team, Bird remained to steady the Storm before heading off herself to join the U.S. national team.

Best friends on the Storm, soon to be Olympic rivals.

For the second time in their playing careers, Jackson and Bird could face each other on the grandest stage for gold. Both are now central figures on their national teams.

Jackson, a 6-foot-5 forward, is captaining her Aussie squad while Bird, a 5-9 guard, is expected to be the starting point guard after serving as a deep reserve behind legend Dawn Staley in 2004.

Jackson and Bird have played seven seasons together in the WNBA and lived together — with Phoenix star Diana Taurasi — the past two offseasons in Russia, where they won four championships. The closer they get, the harder it is to separate friend and country.

"The Olympics came up in conversation and it is going to be so strange, especially with Diana, too," said Jackson, a three-time Olympian who has won two silver medals and a bronze. "I hate playing against them, hate it. They are probably two of the most important people in my life.

"But when you're talking about playing for your country, there's so much pride and I know they feel that way, too. Nothing motivates me more than playing for Australia, so I'm just going to go out there and do the best that I can."

Jackson insisted she be able to leave the WNBA early for the Olympics break because Australia has pieced together its best team in history. The U.S. team, meanwhile, is transitioning and moving on to young stars to replace mainstays Staley, Sheryl Swoopes and Yolanda Griffith. Beijing seems to be the time for other countries to pounce on the perennial medalist U.S. team.

The Americans lost to Russia in the 2006 World Championships, clearing the way for Australia to take that title and the automatic Olympic bid. The American women had to qualify later in Chile.

Training has also been in question. U.S. coach Anne Donovan, who resigned from coaching the Storm last season and has devoted herself to the Olympics task, didn't finalize her roster until July 10 and the group has had four days in California to train as a unit.

Aside from guard Katie Smith (Detroit), who has played at some point with everyone on the roster, the team has never played together competitively. Other countries, such as Russia, urged their players not to play in the WNBA. The Russians also added guard Becky Hammon — she became a Russian citizen earlier this year — to their roster.

The U.S. team opens Olympic play Aug. 9 against the Czech Republic.

"When I wake up and catch my flight to join the Olympic team, that's when I'm going to get antsy," Bird said. "I know I'm going to see Lauren again and we're going to hang out in between games, it's going to be a lot of fun."

Jackson and Bird aren't the only Storm players traveling to China. Teammate Kelly Santos will represent Brazil.

"I can feel myself getting anxious," Santos said. "But it's good because I know I've gotten better playing with Lauren and Sue and against all the players in the WNBA. We all want to show what we can do."

Jayda Evans: jevans@seattletimes.com