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The Team USA women’s basketball training camp brought some of the top young WNBA stars together this month in Durham, North Carolina, as the national program prepares for upcoming international competition.
The camp featured a mix of established veterans and rising talent in a 17-player group that also included breakout stars like Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers, Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton and USC Trojans’ JuJu Watkins, marking a clear youth movement for the senior national team.
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The week-long sessions at Duke University gave players their first opportunity to compete together at the senior level, blending WNBA experience with new faces in the red, white and blue. USA Basketball’s managing director, Sue Bird, and coach Kara Lawson emphasized building depth and identity while exposing players to international-style play ahead of qualifying events.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5)Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Fans were privileged to catch glimpses of players, including Clark and Reese, interacting on the floor during drills and scrimmages, moments that have since captivated social media with highlights of the team’s chemistry.
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Following camp, Team USA shared a video of Reese discussing her experience playing with Clark and the other top players, putting her enthusiasm into words for fans and teammates alike.
“I’m just really thankful to be able to be here with the best… I’m not going to take this moment for granted. I’m so thankful because a lot of people don’t have this moment. So I try to take a lot of things from other people, from communications, even just ball handling,” Reese said.
“Being able to see Aaliyah [Boston] post up and post deep, and being able to take those things and implement it within yourself. And I think it just goes to show the growth of the game and how we can just compete in the [WNBA], but then come back here, USA, and just be together and be here for one goal, and that’s the championship and to win gold medal.”
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Team USA’s training camp is the first step toward the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers, with the final roster expected to be trimmed from this group of camp invitees to the team that will compete internationally next year.
Should Reese and Clark make the final cut, it would mark their first appearances on the senior national team in official international competition.
Related: Caitlin Clark’s Pass to Angel Reese Draws Attention on Sunday
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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