Team USA begins its FIBA Basketball World Cup quest for gold on Friday, doing so with a primarily veteran starting lineup. The star-studded roster is loaded from top to bottom, and obviously, many fans are excited to see the young additions to the group in the opening group-round matchup against China.
While some hoped to see Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark's name listed on Team USA's starting five Friday, head coach Kara Lawson stuck with a group primarily featuring players with past FIBA and Team USA experience. As the official USA Basketball account on X highlighted, the starting five will include Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Breanna Stewart and Jackie Young.
There's no question that Team USA's starting five is loaded with talent, and while Clark won't be on the floor for the opening tip, it appears to make sense as to why. USA Today's Meghan Hall noted that Lawson did ultimately choose to start with the veterans on Friday.
As Hall notes, Breanna Stewart will start at center for Team USA following A'ja Wilson's withdrawal from the FIBA World Cup. Wilson and Kelsey Plum were both initially on the roster before backing out due to health issues, as ESPN highlighted . They were replaced by the Washington Mystics' duo, Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron.
Ultimately, Team USA's young and talented core should have little trouble fitting in with its more "veteran" group at the 2026 FIBA World Cup. This, of course, includes Clark, along with Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese , Aliyah Boston, Rhyne Howard, Iriafen, and Citron, among others.
It will be interesting to monitor the first game or two for Team USA basketball to see which lineups quickly mesh and how that impacts Lawson's approach moving forward in the tournament, specifically with a player as talented as Clark.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why isn't Caitlin Clark starting for Team USA vs. China at the FIBA World Cup?
