A New Era Begins in Berlin

Team USA opens its pursuit of a fifth consecutive FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup title on Friday in Berlin, facing China in the first of three group-play games. The WNBA has taken a nearly three-week break to accommodate the tournament, which runs from Sept. 4-13.

The roster marks a significant generational shift, with Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Angel Reese making their first appearances for the S. women's national team at a major tournament. The trio, along with Aliyah Boston, are all 24 years old and were part of the squad that won a World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico in March.

"We don't take it for granted and think we're entitled to it just because we feel like it's our time now," Bueckers said. "We had to earn it, we had to work for it and we're all extremely grateful for that."

A Changing of the Guard

The transition comes as Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi have both moved on from international play after becoming the first to win five Olympic gold medals, with Taurasi adding a sixth in Paris two years ago. Bird had a role in selecting a team that includes another first-timer in Boston.

Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller framed the shift in stark terms. "After the Olympics in '24, now this is the changing of the guard," he said. Indiana coach Stephanie White, who is on the S. staff, added, "It shows the shift, right?"

Bueckers acknowledged the weight of following legends but insisted the newcomers have earned their spots. "I talked about four-time, five-time, six-time Olympians and obviously they can't play forever, but that doesn't mean we're guaranteed a spot and it's an automatic lock," she said.

Youth and Absences

The S. will lean even more heavily on its young core because A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will miss the World Cup for health reasons. Only three players on the roster are in their 30s: Las Vegas guard Chelsea Gray at 33, and New York's Breanna Stewart and Phoenix's Kahleah Copper, both 32.

Brittney Griner, sidelined by a knee injury, was not named to the original roster on Aug. 6; at that time she had not played a WNBA game since July 19. Griner will be 37 during the Los Angeles Olympics in two years.

Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty, a S. team veteran, was left off this roster, as were Jewell Loyd and Alyssa Thomas, all of whom played at the most recent Olympic and World Cup tournaments.

Newcomers and Replacements

Among the first-timers is Rhyne Howard of Atlanta, Reese's teammate. Washington's Sonia Citron, one of two injury replacements, is the youngest player on the team at 22 and is making her national team debut. The other replacement, Citron's Mystics teammate Kiki Iriafen, is 23 and made her senior national team debut at the March qualifier in Puerto Rico.

Citron and Iriafen were called in the week before the tournament to replace Wilson and Plum.

Veterans Carrying the Load

Stewart brings the most international experience to this squad. She made her World Cup debut in 2014 and has played at each of the last three Olympics and three World Cups, earning MVP honors at the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Olympics.

Napheesa Collier and Gray started all six games at the Paris Olympics. Gray is the oldest player on the team, and Boston, at 6-foot-5, is the tallest.

Balancing Club and Country

For Bueckers, Clark, and Reese, the tournament means putting aside thoughts of the looming WNBA playoffs to start what each hopes will be a long international career. Bueckers is the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year. Clark's Fever have made the postseason in each of her three years, although she missed most of last season with a groin injury. Reese, traded by Chicago before the season, is on her way to leading the WNBA in rebounding for the third time in her three-year career.

Boston, Clark, and Bueckers were the No. 1 overall picks in consecutive WNBA drafts, while Reese went seventh in 2024 when Clark was the top pick.

Clark led the S. team in points, assists, and minutes at the March tournament in Puerto Rico, and she wears jersey No. 12, which was Taurasi's number at the last six Olympics.

Bueckers reflected on the changing nature of international competition. "I just remember USA would always win and they would win by a pretty large margin and gradually as the years went on, the margin of victory closed," she said.

"Anytime you wear USA across your chest, it's a tremendous honor," Clark said.

A Dynasty in Transition

The S. enters the tournament looking to extend a win streak of 66 games in combined Olympic and World Cup play, dating to its last defeat in the 2006 World Championship semifinals to Russia. Half of the current roster is making its global championship debut, a statistic that underscores how much this team relies on new faces.

As Bueckers put it, the opportunity is not something to be taken for granted. "We've been competing with and against each other our whole lives, and something that I admire is their work ethic and what it took to get here."