Caitlin Clark continues to come off the bench for the undefeated Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, a decision that has drawn attention given her prominent status in the sport. Head coach Kara Lawson stated that the team's established starting group has been effective in establishing early leads.
"Our starting group’s done a pretty good job of getting us off to good starts," Lawson said. "Rotationally from game to game we could change things, but I like where we are right now."
Lawson has opted for veteran guards Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, and Chelsea Gray to fill the starting backcourt positions. This strategy leaves Clark, along with other emerging talents like Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese, in reserve roles. This approach of deferring to experienced players is not uncommon in competitive sports, as seen with players like Jayson Tatum on the 2024 men's Olympic team.
Despite not starting, Clark is receiving significant playing time, averaging 21.5 minutes per game, and has led the team in minutes played in three of the four games. In the quarterfinal victory over Hungary on Thursday, Clark played 19:31, contributing 10 points and nine assists. She has averaged 8.5 points, 7.0 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Clark herself has expressed that the role does not bother her. "This is such a privilege and honor to be here," she said after a previous game. "I don’t worry about all that [pressure]. I’m just excited to go play basketball. I remain confident in what I can do."
Clark and Team USA are set to compete in the semifinals on Saturday, with potential matchups against Australia, Spain, France, Belgium, or Germany in the final on Sunday. IMAGE2