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U.S. women's basketball opens FIBA World Cup defense with refreshed roster
The American team targets a fifth consecutive title in Berlin without veteran stars A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum.
The short version
- The U.S. women's basketball team is competing for its fifth straight FIBA World Cup title in Berlin with a younger lineup alongside veteran Breanna Stewart.
- Key stars A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are missing the tournament and have been replaced by Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen.
- FIBA announced that the 2030 tournament in Japan will shift to late November and December to prevent scheduling conflicts with the WNBA.
Key facts
- The U.S. roster in Berlin features young players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese alongside veteran Breanna Stewart.[Associated Press]
- A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are sitting out the tournament, leading to roster additions Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen.[Associated Press]
- The 2026 tournament in Germany features 16 teams, allowing the eventual champion to potentially play six games instead of eight.[Associated Press]
- More than 50 active WNBA players are participating in the Berlin tournament, prompting the league to pause its season until September 17.[Associated Press]
- FIBA scheduled the 2030 World Cup in Japan for November 26 through December 8 to prevent overlap with professional league schedules.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains to be seen whether the restructured American roster can maintain the program's championship streak against increasingly competitive international teams like France, Australia, Spain, and China.[Associated Press]