CHICAGO (2016 Rio Olympics) - Elena Delle Donne is in the clouds. Already one of the WNBA's top players, the 26-year-old superstar is now soaking up the news that she is going to play for the United States at an Olympic Games for the first time.

Becoming an Olympian was something she thought about doing for many years. Now, the opportunity has arrived. In a little over three months, Delle Donne will be in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the 11 other players that were named in the squad last week. She will try to help the Americans capture gold at a sixth straight Olympics.

Delle Donne, who played for the Americans on their tour of Europe last year and also took part in the national team training camp this year, is going to always remember the moment when USA Basketball contacted her and gave her the good news.

Just to think this entire basketball journey I’ve been on has been absolutely incredible, but this has been by far the pinnacle of my career and the best news I've ever heard. It’s absolutely a dream come true. - Delle Donne

The second overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky, Delle Donne has put up huge numbers. A 1.96m guard/forward, she was named Rookie of the Year. Delle Donne is a three-time All-Star.

She has averaged 20.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in her three seasons. In 2015, Delle Donne was the winner of the WNBA's Most Valuable Player Award.

The 26-year-old is not a first-timer for USA Basketball in an official competition. In 2011, while a player with the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens in American college basketball, Delle Donne travelled to China to play at the World University Games and helped her country capture the title. The Olympics, though, is an entirely different matter.

More than anything, I want to be a great teammate. I think that’s what Team USA is all about, unselfish, high IQ basketball players who put the team in front of everything. - Delle Donne

So what is it she is most looking forward to doing in Rio? There is going to be plenty to keep her occupied outside of basketball.

"I'm also excited to meet some of the other athletes and hopefully be able to see some of the other events as well, because I've been such a huge fan of the Olympics my entire life," she said.

"I did watch the Olympics (growing up), but I would watch different things. I would watch a lot of gymnastics, swimming, beach volleyball and basketball was always on at different times. If it was on, I would try to catch it. But I was just a huge fan of the Olympics in general, all the different sports, even track and field."

On the court? Delle Donne is likely going to cause match-up problems for all of the USA opponents. Geno Auriemma's squad will take on Canada, Senegal, Serbia and two sides that reach Brazil at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) in Group B. The WOQT will be staged 13-19 June in Nantes, France.

She is already impressing for the Sky in the WNBA pre-season.

"I think I bring versatility," she said, "so I'm able to play different positions and help with whatever team we face. I can kind of move around and play whatever position is needed."

FIBA