Caitlin Clark's audition for control of the reins to Team USA starts at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.
On Monday, Aug. 31, USA Basketball announced that four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson will not join the team as it pursues a fifth consecutive World Cup title. Wilson, along with two-time champion Kelsey Plum, will miss this year's tournament, which begins Sept. 4 in Berlin, due to health reasons. The Las Vegas Aces center is likely prioritizing a deep playoff run and a fourth overall title with the franchise.
While the roster is still loaded with talent and Team USA remains the favorite, the chances of the squad winning another World Cup without Wilson presumably decrease. Losing Plum on Team USA is one thing. Going the distance without Wilson is another.
Wilson, who could win a fifth WNBA MVP trophy this season, is leading the league with 26 points per game. She also leads the WNBA in blocks per matchup (2.0) and is tied for third in rebounds per game (9.4). Her production on both ends of the floor is paramount, as it was in 2022, when she helped the United States win a fourth consecutive World Cup gold medal. Wilson earned tournament MVP honors, averaging 17.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.3 blocks over six games.
So, who steps up without Wilson?
Many names come to mind, including New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, who is making her fourth World Cup appearance. Still, Clark's name proverbially leaps off the page for what could be a peak opportunity.
Caitlin Clark's WNBA ascension could be Team USA boon
Since Clark arrived in the WNBA in 2024, the calls for her to join and lead Team USA have been ample. During her rookie season, a monthslong national discourse ensued when she was not chosen for the 2024 Paris Olympics roster. Scrutiny of the roster and the selection committee was intense, eventually leading to Clark addressing the chatter.
"I think it just gives you something to work for," she said in June 2024 when asked if she was disappointed about not making the team. "It's a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it's just a little more motivation. You remember that. Hopefully when four years comes back around, I can be there."
While the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are still nearly two years away, the case for Clark to make the Olympic roster and potentially take over the reins of the team has already started.
In February, the Indiana Fever guard was named to the World Cup qualifying tournament team. By March, she made her presence felt on the national team. On March 17, Clark was named MVP at the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament. With Clark in the fold, Team USA earned a 5-0 record at the tournament. The three-time All-Star averaged 11.6 points and a team-high 6.4 assists. She also had the team’s top efficiency rating. Clark's production after an eight-month injury layoff that derailed her second season in the WNBA foreshadowed things to come.
The 24-year-old had what some would consider a slower start to her third season this year. However, since the All-Star break, she has found her footing and catapulted herself into the MVP conversation. Clark is averaging a career-high 22.5 points per game (third in the league) while dishing out 8.4 assists per matchup (tied for first in the league). Both stats help her lead the WNBA in points created per game (41.4). The Fever guard is also shooting a career-high 45% from the field and a career-high 37.3% from 3-point range. On Aug. 6, Clark was officially named to the Team USA roster for the FIBA World Cup.
"I think Caitlin's been on a steady uptick from March when we had her – actually starts back in December when we had her until now. I think she's improved in every area. She's playing really well at this time," Team USA head coach Kara Lawson said on Aug. 18. "She plays at a high level. She's doing that now, and she's continuing to look better and better."
Setting the tone all week long 🔥
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 18, 2026
Caitlin Clark earns Week 12 Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the @IndianaFever!
🔥 25.7 PPG
🔥 9.7 APG
🔥 3.3 RPG#WNBASeason30 pic.twitter.com/ULY5WzDrnE
Can Caitlin Clark replace A'ja Wilson's production for Team USA?
With Clark's clear ascension over the course of the season, it begs the question: Could she, given her elite abilities and noticeable rise in 2026, replace Wilson's contributions to Team USA? Truthfully, no. Here's why.
It's hard to duplicate that level of consistent MVP play on such short notice – the FIBA World Cup starts this week – let alone on both ends of the floor. Wilson is also the reigning WNBA co-defensive Player of the Year and is in the conversation again this season. The 30-year-old's propensity to stuff the stat sheet on both ends of the floor against nearly every team she faces – including at the international level – will be sorely missed by Team USA.
However, Clark is a statistical anomaly in her own right, and the 2024 Rookie of the Year has a chance to display just what makes her so special during this year's World Cup. As of Aug. 28, Clark now has six career games with 30 points or more and 10-plus assists. That's more than the rest of the WNBA has combined in league history (four). The Fever superstar is also the first player in league history to have 800 or more points and 300 or more assists in a season and 300-plus assists and 100-plus 3-pointers in a single season.
Team USA will need more of that from Clark with Wilson out, paving the way for her to make an infallible case to not only lead this team now but to lead the 2028 Olympics squad. In fairness to Clark, she can't do it all alone. She'll need help just as Wilson has gotten throughout her time on Team USA. International competition has only gotten stiffer; the level of play requires more, and the physicality of the game is different from the WNBA. Yet, if there was ever a time for Clark to step into an elevated role and perhaps own the spotlight, now feels like the prime chance.
"There's sometimes that you just catch yourself smiling," Fever coach Stephanie White said on Aug. 15. "She keeps people on their toes. She has a really good sense of understanding, particularly with (her teammates) of where they're going to be, of when they're going to release and how to get them the ball. That keeps teams honest ... but she's like a maestro. ... She is instructing, she is running (the offense) much like a show."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Caitlin Clark take Team USA reins? FIBA World Cup opens door | Opinion
