Three weeks after hoisting the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup trophy with the Minnesota Lynx, Bridget Carleton is on her way to Paris, where she would like nothing more than to add some more hardware to the collection.

“I can’t believe we’re here [at an Olympics] again,” Carleton said. “Time has flown by, the past three years have flown by. I’m obviously really excited about it.”

The 27-year-old forward had 23 points while shooting 8-for-10 from the floor, including 6-for-8 from beyond the arc to lead the Lynx in a 94-89 victory over the New York Liberty in the Commissioner's Cup Final. Carleton, a 6th-year WNBA vet, is in the midst of her best season in the WNBA, averaging career-bests in points, rebounds, steals, blocks and minutes.

Carleton’s strong play has helped the Lynx to the third best record in the WNBA as the league begins a one-month break for the Olympics.

“We play very free on offense,” Carleton said. “Making the right decisions, cutting when we need to cut and making the right pass and making simple plays. That's how I like to play. I'm just kind of riding the wave of playing five years here so I know what to expect. I know [Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve], I know my teammates. It was time for me to step into a more aggressive scorer mentality with this team. That's what they wanted for me. And I was ready to be that this year.”

Stepping into a scoring role is nothing new for Carleton with Team Canada. This will be her second Olympics and comes after she led Canada in scoring with 12.8 points per game at the 2022 FIBA Basketball Women’s World Cup where Canada finished fourth. Carleton was the second-leading scorer in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament this past February, averaging 14 points to go with 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals. Team Canada head coach Víctor Lapeña encourages Carleton to embrace her scoring ability and to let it fly.

“He's been the best,” Carleton said. “He's been such a big part of who I've grown into [as a player] in our two and a half years together. He has all the confidence in the world in me. He's like my number one. He's also just such a good coach. He knows how good I can be and how good I want to be so that's been really, really helpful.”

Spending much of her time away from national team teammates and coaching staff during the WNBA and overseas seasons, Carleton relies on group chats to keep in touch. Lapeña also lets her know that he keeps a close eye on all of her games.

“Even though we're not together a whole lot, just having him in my corner, I feel that,” she said. “He's always following and connecting and texts me after my games.”

After having her first Olympic experience in Tokyo, Carleton is looking forward to being able to have her family with her this time around.

“Tokyo was surreal and incredible and you still felt like you were at the Olympics, but I think they're definitely gonna feel different this year for sure,” she said. “Not only just having fans and being able to mingle a little bit more in Olympic village, but having my family there, experiencing it with me, I think will be really special. They were disappointed they couldn't come to the last one. So I'm really excited about that.”

Carleton’s parents have supported every step of her basketball career and her mother, Carrie, was her high school basketball coach. Carleton has fond memories of the family piling around the television to watch the Olympics when she was growing up.

“Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, my family was heavily invested in the Olympics and Team Canada,” Carleton said. “It didn't matter what sport, it didn't matter what time of day. We were definitely invested as a family, so I think that's where it was instilled in me, at a very young age, that the Olympics is a super cool thing. And to be able to represent your country at that level is remarkable. You see how emotional athletes get, when they get to the podium, or just being able to represent their country, it’s just incredible.

“I think that's such a special part of this,” Carleton continued. “Not only am I experiencing it, but I get to experience it with them and they get to experience it with me. They're so proud to be Canadian. They're so proud of our country and they're proud of me and my teammates. I know they'll be our biggest fans. And, I'm sure my mom will cry a million times.”

The Lynx partnered with Team Canada to surprise Carleton with her Olympics jacket on the day that the team was officially unveiled back in Toronto.

“To have my teammates celebrate with me like that was pretty cool,” Carleton said. “You know, I'm the only Canadian in the room. How happy they were for me, because they know how much it means to me, I think that was why I was emotional in that moment. I love so much to represent Canada. Going to the Olympics is like a dream, and they know that. Seeing how genuine they were, I’m just very thankful that they were so excited for me.”

As Carleton rejoins the rest of her national team teammates in Spain to play a pair of exhibition games before arriving in Paris, she can’t help but think about becoming a two-time Olympian. Sometimes she still can’t believe it.

“Growing up, I always wanted to go to the Olympics, but I never thought, I didn’t know it was possible,” Carleton said. “To be able to go to my second Olympics at 27, it’s just incredible. I didn’t think I would be here. How much I love the game, how much work I put in and how much I want to do the best that I can every single day has taken me places, I guess."