Team USA is going to be without reigning four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, who withdrew from the roster earlier this week due to health reasons.
Wilson was not the only player to withdraw from Team USA’s FIBA World Cup roster. Her former Las Vegas Aces teammate and current Phoenix Mercury guard Kelsey Plum will be unable to play due to an ankle injury, as per ESPN.
Team USA now has to rely on the new generation of players, such as Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. They also have veterans on the roster like Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart and Chelsea Gray.
Angel Reese’s A’ja Wilson Remarks
Speaking to FIBA.com ahead of the World Cup in Germany, Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese talked about the absence of A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum from the Team USA roster.
Reese was bold and confident about their chances of winning the tournament, mainly due to the talented players remaining on the roster. She was also not feeling any pressure about the expectations of them taking home the World Cup.
“I honestly don’t think so, because I think this team is so talented,” Reese said. “Of course, A’ja brings a lot for us, for sure, her and KP. But we’re just trying to focus on who is here, figure that out and make sure we’re all up to par and ready for the show.”
While Reese and Wilson are two totally different players, Reese will likely shoulder more responsibility in Wilson’s absence. She is expected to play defense, get rebounds and possibly form a deadly pick-and-roll partnership with Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Chelsea Gray.
As for Plum’s absence, Clark, Bueckers and Sonia Citron should provide plenty of scoring and shooting.
Who Replaced Wilson and Plum?
According to ESPN, the Washington Mystics duo of Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron are replacing A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, respectively, on the Team USA roster.
Iriafen and Citron are two of the pillars for the Mystics over the past two seasons. They were also part of the December training camp and March qualifying tournaments, so they are very familiar with the rest of the roster.
Here is the complete 12-player roster for Team USA at the 2026 FIBA World Cup:
- Paige Bueckers | Guard | Dallas Wings
- Sonia Citron | Guard | Washington Mystics
- Rhyne Howard | Guard | Atlanta Dream
- Kahleah Copper | Forward | Phoenix Mercury
- Chelsea Gray | Guard | Las Vegas Aces
- Breanna Stewart | Forward | New York Liberty
- Kiki Iriafen | Center | Washington Mystics
- Napheesa Collier | Forward | Minnesota Lynx
- Caitlin Clark | Guard | Indiana Fever
- Jackie Young | Guard | Las Vegas Aces
- Aliyah Boston | Center | Indiana Fever
- Angel Reese | Forward | Atlanta Dream
Team USA begins their campaign on September 4 against China. They then play back-to-back games on September 6 and 7 against Italy and Czechia, respectively.
Angel Reese Makes Bold A’ja Wilson Statement After World Cup Withdrawal