Caitlin Clark had 14 points and 11 assists off the bench in her global championship debut as the U.S. women’s basketball team rolled in the opener of the FIBA World Cup, the biggest international tournament between now and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Without A’ja Wilson, the U.S. routed China 94-61 in Berlin. It was a rematch of the last World Cup championship game in 2022 won by the U.S. 83-61.
Make it 67 consecutive wins between Olympic and World Cup play dating to a 2006 Worlds semifinals to Russia. And 31 games in a row in World Cup play alone.
Kara Lawson, in her first global championship game since succeeding Cheryl Reeve as head coach, kept the U.S. trademark of relying on experience.
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She chose a starting lineup of 2024 Olympic gold medalists Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.
The rising next generation — including Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese — came off the bench.
“Being surrounded by five people that have won a gold medal before at the highest level, you just try to follow their lead and take every bit of wisdom that they can give you,” Clark said. “Whatever role I have, I’m going to come in and do it to the best of my ability.”
Clark’s 11 assists were the most for an American woman in a FIBA World Cup game since Dawn Staley had 12 in 1998, according to FIBA. The last time a U.S. woman had a double-double with points and assists in a global championship was in the 1996 Olympic group phase, when Teresa Edwards torched Australia for 20 points and 15 assists.
“Anybody I pass the ball to, it feels like they’re never going to miss a shot,” Clark said. “That’s one of my goals when I come into the game, facilitate, play fast, set up my teammates, get into the paint, get some penetration.”
Clark, Bueckers and Rhyne Howard shared the game-high of 14 points. Clark (25 minutes, no turnovers) and Bueckers (20 minutes) ended up with the most playing time among Americans, filling the stat sheet in the second half with the game in hand.
“Caitlin was terrific coming off the bench, changing the tempo of the game, her playmaking,” Lawson said.
All 12 players scored and were on the court for at least 10 minutes in the absence of Wilson, the reigning Olympic, World Cup, WNBA and WNBA Finals MVP.
Wilson and fellow 2024 Olympic gold medalist Kelsey Plum were replaced on the roster earlier this week for health reasons, with Plum out for the rest of the WNBA season with a reported lower leg injury.
“Both of them, obviously, been great players for us. I’ll miss being around them, but ultimately, we’ve kind of moved on,” Lawson said Tuesday. “We’ve got to focus and prepare for this tournament with the 12 players that are here. So, we wish them both a speedy recovery with what they’re dealing with. Our group, we don’t have time to be worried about who’s not here. We’ve got to really focus on ourselves and how we’re going to develop our chemistry in the short lead-up and trying to win.”
The U.S. next plays Italy on Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET, then finishes group play against Czechia on Monday at 2:45.
If the U.S. gets tested at this tournament, it will likely be in the knockout rounds starting with quarterfinals next Thursday.
At the 2024 Olympics, the U.S. passed a test in the final, edging host France 67-66 in its closest Olympic game since its last defeat in the semifinals in 1992.
At this World Cup, France has eight WNBA players, second-most among all nations behind the U.S.
