Predicting Team USA's World Cup starting lineup: Will Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers come off the bench?

With A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum out, coach Kara Lawson has some big decisions to make before Friday Aug 31, 2026 at 2:46 pm ET • 7 min read Team USA's quest for a fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup gold medal was dealt a blow Monday when the federation announced that A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum would miss the tournament due to health concerns. They have been replaced by Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron. Wilson has not missed a WNBA game in weeks, and no specific reason has been stated for her absence, which is likely related to fatigue. Plum, on the other hand, has only played once since Aug. 9 due to a lower leg injury that has hampered her all summer, and the Phoenix Mercury subsequently announced she will not play again this season. The former Las Vegas Aces teammates have been stalwarts for the Americans in recent years. Wilson was the team's leading scorer at the 2024 Olympics, 2022 World Cup and 2020 Olympics, and has helped Team USA win gold at every major tournament since the 2018 World Cup. Plum, meanwhile, was the second-leading scorer at the 2022 World Cup, and was a part of the 2018 World Cup, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Olympic teams. (She missed the 2020 Olympics due to a torn Achilles.) Team USA still has the most talented roster and should win gold in Berlin, but the task will be more difficult without Wilson and Plum. Their absences also raise further questions about the Americans' starting lineup, which was already going to be a tough decision for head coach Kara Lawson. Ahead of Team USA's opener against China on Friday in Berlin, let's try to predict the starting lineup. LocksLet's start first with the locks:Napheesa CollierBreanna StewartJackie YoungStewart is the most decorated American player on the team. She's helped Team USA win gold at every major tournament since the 2014 World Cup in Turkey when she was still a sophomore at UConn. She was the second-leading scorer behind Wilson at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and is in the middle of another All-WNBA caliber season for the New York Liberty. As long as Stewart is wearing the red, white and blue, she's going to be a starter. Collier missed the first two months of the WNBA season after undergoing offseason surgery on both ankles, but she's fully healthy now and has picked up right where she left off when she finished as the MVP runner-up last season. She started every game at the 2024 Olympics, and was the Americans' second-leading rebounder behind Wilson. Collier was going to start no matter what, but her versatility in the frontcourt will be even more important without Wilson. Young does not have the same international experience as Stewart or Collier. In fact, the 2024 Olympics were her major tournament debut at the 5x5 level. (She won a gold medal in 3x3 at the 202 Olympics.) But Young was inserted into the starting lineup for the knockout round games in Paris and is the best wing on the American roster. She's also in the midst of the best WNBA season of her career, and her size and all-around game on the perimeter is extremely valuable in the international game. Who runs point?The biggest question for Lawson is who should be the starting point guard? Plum is out of the mix, which leaves Chelsea Gray, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. Gray has won gold with Team USA at the last three major international tournaments, dating back to the 2020 Olympics. She was the starting point guard for the knockout rounds of the 2022 World Cup and every game of the 2024 Olympics, and is far more experienced than either Clark or Bueckers, who have never played in a major international tournament at the senior level. It's also worth noting that Gray went to Duke, where Lawson is currently the head coach. How much that matters is impossible to say, but it certainly doesn't hurt Gray's chances of being named the starter. After Duke's stunning buzzer-beating win over LSU in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, Lawson went into the stands to celebrate with Gray, who was in attendance. "I mean Chelsea, obviously is our most decorated alum when you look at what she's done at the professional level. Such a great supporter," Lawson said. "We have a great relationship and she flew in here for this game to support us. ... You want to share that with the people that have been there for you.But while the 33-year-old Gray may have more experience and a better relationship with Lawson than Clark and Bueckers, the two young stars are both better players at this point. Clark is third in the WNBA in scoring and second in assists, while Bueckers is sixth in scoring and eighth in assists. They're doing things we've never seen before, and have been more efficient and consistent than Gray this season. Additionally, Gray is coming off an extremely poor showing in Paris, when she averaged just 1.3 points and 5.2 assists on 16.7% shooting. It feels like Lawson will prioritize Gray's leadership and ability to take care of the ball in the starting lineup, especially without Wilson and Plum. However, there's a world where Gray starts every game, but at least one of Clark and Bueckers (if not both) end up playing more minutes throughout the tournament. What about the fifth and final spot?If Gray, Young, Collier and Stewart are all starting, what does Lawson do with the fifth and final spot? Let's lay out the options:Go bigTeam USA started Wilson, Stewart and Collier together at the 2024 Olympics, and were almost certainly going to do so again in Berlin. With Wilson now out of the mix, Lawson could still go big and insert Aliyah Boston or Angel Reese into the starting lineup. (With respect, Iriafen is not starting.) The 6-foot-5 Boston would give them serious size and length in the paint next to Stewart and Collier. She is also shooting a career-high 40.8% from 3-point range this season and her ability to space the floor would make their frontcourt even more dynamic. The 6-foot-4 Reese does not have the same offensive gifts as Boston, but she is the best rebounder in the world and a versatile defender. If Lawson is worried about the glass without Wilson, she could turn to Reese, who also has an incredible motor. Add another wing?It was interesting that Team USA decided to add Citron to replace Plum, rather than another true guard. The Americans now have plenty of depth on the wing, with Rhyne Howard, Kahleah Copper and Citron behind Young. All three of Howard, Copper and Citron are at least 6-foot-1 and could give the Americans some real size and versatility on the perimeter. Copper has the most international experience, but Howard is having the best season of the three and is the best defender. If Lawson wants to add another wing to the mix, the Dream star would be the likely choice. Notably, Howard is shooting 38.9% on catch-and-shoot 3s this season, including 46.8% on unguarded catch-and-shoot 3s. Go smallLawson is a defensive-minded coach, so it's hard to imagine that she'll want to go small and play an up-tempo, offense-first style, but we have to at least mention the possibility. Inserting Clark or Bueckers into the starting lineup alongside Gray would give Team USA even more pace, playmaking and shooting. Good luck guarding a starting five of Gray, Clark/Bueckers, Young, Collier and Stewart when everyone can dribble, shoot and pass. But again, Lawson prioritizes defense, and Clark and Bueckers are the worst defenders on the team. Predicting the starting fiveIt's extremely difficult to predict the starting five for Team USA at this tournament, especially after the last-minute departures of Wilson and Plum. Lawson was surely counting on Wilson to be the focal point of the team, so it's possible even she hasn't made a decision on how to pivot. There may not even be one continuous starting five throughout the event. Team USA used multiple starting lineups at both the 2024 Olympics and the 2022 World Cup, and we could see that happening again based on matchups. For example, China has a massive frontcourt featuring 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu, 6-foot-9 Han Xu and 6-foot-7 Li Yueru, all of whom are taller than any American player. Does Team USA go big in their opener to counter that size? Or smaller to try and play the Chinese bigs off the court? Again, this is a tricky exercise, but considering international experience, WNBA status and Lawson's style and philosophy, here's an educated guess at the starting five against China on Friday:Chelsea GrayJackie YoungNapheesa CollierBreanna StewartAliyah Boston