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Team USA is getting a bit of a youth boost next month as three high-profile young players will be making their competitive debuts with the U.S. senior national team.
This week, Team USA announced that Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers will all be on the roster in the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament next month, making their debuts with the Team USA senior team.
Clark, of course, was controversially left off the Team USA roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This time, however, she will be part of the team as she not only makes her competitive debut but also returns from a season-ending injury that sidelined her last year.
Buecker, who was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year this past season, will also be making her debut along with Reese, Clark’s longtime rival.
In addition to those three high-profile players, the Washington Mystics’ Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Both players played their rookie seasons in the WNBA last year.
The qualifying tournament will be in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 11-17.
It’s worth noting that the United States has already qualified for the FIBA World Cup after winning the 2025 AmeriCup competition last summer, but this will be a chance for these players to get some valuable experience.
The FIBA World Cup will be in Berlin from Sept. 4-13. The United States has won the event 11 times, including the past four in a row. Now, the United States will attempt a five-peat, and it sounds like some of these younger players will get a chance to help make it happen.
