UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Coach Geno Auriemma, whose women’s national basketball team is made up primarily of W.N.B.A. players, said the league’s summer season put the national team at a big disadvantage in preparing for this fall’s world championships in the Czech Republic.
The W.N.B.A. schedule allows few training opportunities before the competition, which begins Sept. 23. Auriemma said he hoped to have a few days in the spring — before the W.N.B.A. season — and a few days in early September with players whose teams are not in the playoffs.
On Wednesday, the league announced that it would help the national team get together by having the All-Star Game on July 10 feature W.N.B.A. players against Team U.S.A. Members of the national team who are not in the league can join their teammates for the game, which will be played at the Mohegan Sun Casino, U.S.A. Basketball said.
“We don’t have a lot of time with our players, together, all of them,” said Auriemma, who is also the coach of the top-ranked University of Connecticut team. “So we have to take advantage of whatever time we have.”
Auriemma said he would take as much time as he can with his team, wherever he can.
“Every other national team spends an awful lot of time training together,” Auriemma said. “Their players just leave the W.N.B.A. team.” He added, “Our guys have to play for their W.N.B.A. team, and we get them when we can.”