Injured WNBA superstar Seimone Augustus spoke to the media last night after learning she had been one of eight players named to the 2009-12 United States Women’s National Team.  This means that Augustus is a near lock to participate in her second Olympic Games in 2012.

On a typical day of rehab:
“I mainly go in there, start on the bike, do some half circles until I can get warm enough to start going around on the bike. We switched it up, now I’m bending right after I get off the bike so I can still be warm. After that it’s a lot of stretching the quads, leg lifts, things like that. At the end they work on extension, which is the most painful. But I’m just trying to get the hyperextension back to my knee.”

On the next step:
“Hopefully running. What is it? A $60,000 machine (in the practice facility), I’ll probably get to test that out within in the next few weeks.

On being there for her teammates:
“I feel it’s very important. I try to be there at halftime. I try to talk them through a lot of things that maybe they don’t see. It’s hard for me to sit on the side and not yell at them like ‘what are you doing? Why did you turn the ball over four times?’ But at the same time I think they appreciate that and I appreciate that they haven’t left me out. I still feel like I’m on the team.”

On if she’s learned anything watching from the sidelines:
“This is torture. I’m definitely learning patience from this experience. You can’t run, you can’t jump for three months. And then I have to sit here and watch the ladies going through their stuff right now. And it’s like ‘man I wish I could be out there to help them.’ Maybe open (Candice) Wiggins up for a shot or open Roneeka (Hodges) up, or free up Charde (Houston). You just can’t. I want to be out there so bad. I came here early today and was trying to shoot some jumpers.”

On how it feels to be named to Team USA:
“It feels great. With everything I’ve been through with USA Basketball: being at the World Championships and to have the opportunity with my team and taking the time to win a gold medal this past year. So I’m very excited about being one of the first players selected to the team.”

On if there is extra motivation due to her knee injury:
“Coach Geno gave me that motivation way back then, but this kind of puts a damper on it. Like you really do need to push yourself to get back and not just get back and be average. You’ve got to be above average and better than what you were before. I’m going to try to come back out and do what I can for the team.”

On the extensive time commitment that USA Basketball brings with it:
“It’s hard, especially when you’re dealing with going overseas. A lot of time we have training sessions during that season and it’s hard to leave. To make that commitment you have to sacrifice something on the other end, getting a little back left from your overseas team. But travel arrangements, having to fly from Turkey, maybe going to Russia and things like that. But it’s worth it in the end so I don’t have a problem with the commitment as early as we have to.”

On the USA Men’s team, compared to the Women’s:
“The players that are fortunate enough to play USA Basketball go through a lot. You have the year-round thing going on. Overseas, come back to the states, training session here and there, whenever you can squeeze them in. It’s funny when the guys have a whole summer off and they’re like ‘ I don’t know if I can commit, I need this vacation.’ Where we go through a very rigorous season year in and year out. But that’s those guys, I let them do what they do.”

On what it feels like to be considered among the best in the world:
“It means a lot. It’s an opportunity for me to share a special moment with the players, the elite players in this league. As well as my family. Over the last few months or so we’ve been going through a lot health-wise with my father and myself. So it’s an opportunity to get the experience for another gold medal in London in 2012 as well as the World Championships.”

On if being named to the initial eight-player roster makes things easier to make the Olympic Team:
“It’s never easy with USA Basketball. I still feel like I have something to prove. Even though you’re considered on the team, you still have to come out and play like that Olympian and play like the elite player. It’s still a lot pressure even though you may not have to go through that training session that most other players have to do to make the team.”

On the best part of USA Basketball:
“Getting to know people. It’s hard in the league because you’re always competing against each other. You don’t really know them; you don’t really go out to eat afterwards. USA Basketball is definitely an opportunity to get to know players a lot better. Diana (Taurasi) for instance; I got to know her a lot better, so dealing with the injury is not as bad since I know she’s a good person.”