In less than a week, the best women’s basketball players in the world will take the floor in Berlin for the FIBA World Cup. If you weren’t keeping count, Team USA has claimed six of the last competitions since 1998. From Lisa Leslie and Katie Smith to Sue Bird and A’ja Wilson, the United States has been a dominant force with no sign of change for the next decade. In this cycle, several first-timers will see the senior team on the world stage, except in World Cup qualifiers. Here are the three most likely to make an impact against the other powerhouses standing in their way.
Angel Reese
During qualifiers in San Juan, Reese led the team in rebounding, averaging eight boards and 6.8 points on 52 percent from two. Just as she’s done her entire career from college to the pros, Reese did the dirty work that most shrug off. She set some of the toughest screens, cleaned the boards with enthusiasm, and made the extra pass into an action to jumpstart the half-court offense. The 6’3” forward thrived with the ball and without it when running the floor. Against some of the most talented post players in the world, Reese showed everyone that she was where she belonged. Her athleticism will prove to be one of the biggest advantages for this team, especially in minutes without A’ja Wilson on the floor.
Paige Bueckers
It was no secret that Bueckers was ready for the international stage with Team USA for the first time as a senior. During qualifiers, Bueckers ranked fourth in scoring and posted 50/40/100 splits, but her defense was impeccable and led the team in steals. It also fed her own offense. After an MVP-caliber start to the WNBA season, the superstar guard will be one of the most important members off the bench (most likely) for the team. Her impact is multi-faceted and fits this environment like a glove.
Caitlin Clark
In Puerto Rico, Clark was named Most Valuable Player after leading the tournament in assists (6.4) and the second-leading scorer for Team USA (11.6 PPG). It was her first time playing real basketball after playing just 13 games in the 2025 WNBA season. Now as healthy as she’s been for over a year, Clark will demand quite the amount of attention from opposing defenses, giving way to one of her best abilities: gravity-defying dimes. Her shooting was crisp, but the openings she hit with consistency will be what the team needs, with few true point guards on the roster.
It feels like the start of the 2026 WNBA season was just yesterday, but the race to the playoffs is heating up with less than 10 games left in the […]
