Team USA entered the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup looking for its fifth consecutive title. However, just before the start of the tournament, it was announced that star players A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum would not participate due to health reasons, forcing the national team to regroup and find a new identity. The tournament runs from Sept. 4 through Sept. 13 in Berlin, Germany, during a scheduled two-week break in the WNBA season.
Team USA has already put on a strong performance, proving it can step up and compete at a dominant level. Despite the absence of key players, both seasoned veterans and first-time World Cup players have stepped into larger roles and shown that Team USA’s depth remains a force to be reckoned with. The team kicked off the tournament with a dominant 94-61 win again China, powered by dominance in defense and speed in transition to overcome China’s size advantage. The team struggled in the second game against Italy and narrowly secured the 55-52 win. Both countries struggled offensively, but Team USA was able to power through and get the win in the end. The team bounced back in the next game with a formidable 41-point win against Czechia. The game captured an offensive bounce-back for the team and showed the strength of young reserves.
The tournament marks a new era for women’s basketball, with multiple players making their debut on the national team. These players are Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Aliyah Boston and Rhyne Howard. Additionally, Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron were added to the roster to replace Wilson and Plum. The players are not the only ones making their debut; Kara Lawson, head coach for Duke women’s basketball, is making her debut as head coach of the national team.
For fans of the University of Connecticut, however, the World Cup has provided another storyline to follow with three former Huskies wearing red, white and blue in Berlin. The three former Huskies offer a snapshot of the program’s evolution, each contributing a unique role to the roster. Bueckers has made a significant impact on her World Cup debut. She has not only contributed offensively but is proving to be dominant on defense, leading Team USA in blocks per game at 1.3 and averaging 1.3 steals. Breanna Stewart is taking on a veteran role, competing with Team USA at the World Cup for fourth time. Stewart has already been through multiple generations of Team USA and is now being relied on to set the standard for the team. With Wilson’s absence on the frontcourt, Stewart’s responsibility is further emphasized. She has already won three World Cups and could match Sue Bird’s record of four with a win in this tournament. Napheesa Collier is also taking on a veteran role. Collier is the type of versatility the team needs, especially without Wilson and Plum, exceling in multiple areas.
Team USA has already shown to be a dominant force, but its uneven performance against Italy showed the road to another World Cup title may be less straightforward than in previous years. For UConn fans, the rest of the tournament will offer an opportunity to watch three generations of Huskies chase another championship, something Huskies are no strangers to, each playing a different role on a team attempting to remain at the top of the international game. The next test for Team USA will be Sept.10 in the Quarterfinals against Hungary.