Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese Are Taking Team USA Global

Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese have spent years drawing huge crowds in American basketball. Now, three of the sport’s biggest young names are getting a much different test. They are representing the United States at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.

The tournament runs from September 4 through September 13, and Team USA entered as the four-time defending champion. Clark, Bueckers, and Reese are making their Women’s World Cup debuts, giving fans an early look at players who could become central figures for the national team before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Clark, Bueckers, and Reese Bring Different Weapons

Caitlin / IG / Clark’s passing has quickly translated to international basketball. Through four games, the Indiana Fever guard is averaging 7.0 assists, along with 8.5 points and 2.8 rebounds.

Sure! Her shooting has been less consistent. But her ability to create chances for teammates has already made a major impact.

The 24-year-old Indiana Fever guard’s World Cup opener against China showed exactly what she can offer. Clark finished with 14 points and 11 assists while coming off the bench. Those 11 assists set a USA record for a player making her Women’s World Cup debut.

Clark followed that performance with a difficult shooting night against Italy, scoring only one point. She responded with seven assists against Czechia, then nearly recorded another double-double in the quarterfinal against Hungary.

However, Bueckers has brought a different kind of efficiency. The Dallas Wings guard is averaging 9.5 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 57.7 percent from the field. She has also contributed 1.3 steals and 1.0 block per game.

Her tournament started with 14 points against China on 6-of-9 shooting. Bueckers then added seven points, five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks during the tense victory over Italy. Her controlled style gives Team USA another guard who can score without forcing possessions.

Reese has supplied the rebounding and interior energy that have defined much of her young career. Through her first three appearances, she is averaging 8.7 points and 6.0 rebounds. Nine of her 18 total rebounds have come on the offensive glass.

Her best scoring game so far came against Czechia. Reese scored 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting while collecting six rebounds and three steals. She also grabbed nine rebounds against China, including five on the offensive end.

Team USA Has Already Faced a Serious Test

The Americans looked comfortable in their 94 to 61 opening victory over China. Their second game provided a much sharper warning. Italy pushed Team USA to the edge before the defending champions escaped with a 55 to 52 victory.

More than 9,000 fans watched Italy turn the game into a defensive fight. The United States shot just 29 percent from the field and missed its first 10 three-point attempts. Bueckers eventually made the team’s first three, but the Americans never found their normal offensive rhythm.

The 55 points marked Team USA’s lowest Women’s World Cup scoring total since the three-point line arrived in 1984. Italy even moved ahead late in the fourth quarter, putting the Americans in genuine danger of their first World Cup defeat since 2006.

The Americans scored 59 points before halftime, a record for the first half of a Women’s World Cup quarterfinal. They finished with 31 assists, becoming the first team to record at least 30 assists in a quarterfinal at the tournament.

Napheesa Collier led the scoring with 19 points, but the balance mattered more than any single performance. Five American players reached double figures as the offense kept moving the ball and finding open shots.

Berlin Could Be the Start of Something Bigger

Angel / IG / The trio was part of the high school class of 2020, and their careers have helped push women’s basketball into a period of intense public interest.

They now have a chance to bring that attention onto the international stage. FIBA itself listed the three American debutants among the major attractions entering the World Cup. Their presence gives global fans a closer look at players who have already become major names in the United States.

However, the transition does not mean Team USA suddenly belongs to the younger players. Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and other experienced stars still carry major responsibilities. That veteran presence gives the newcomers room to learn without having to control every possession.