USA women's team loses Wilson and Plum for World Cup
A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will miss the FIBA Women's World Cup for health reasons, Team USA announced. Plum will also sit out the rest of the WNBA season with the Phoenix Mercury. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen have been added to the roster.
Wilson had been a remarkably durable presence for the Aces this season, sitting out only three regular-season games and the Commissioner's Cup prior to this announcement. Her absence strips the U.S. of its reigning Olympic and World Cup MVP, a player who anchored both gold-medal runs in 2024 and 2022. Plum's situation is more prolonged, as a lower leg injury limited her to just 17 games this year and only five appearances since her trade to Phoenix. The Mercury's general manager emphasized that the decision prioritizes her long-term recovery, with Plum now set to enter free agency this offseason.
The reshaped roster signals a generational shift for USA Basketball, with Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Citron, and Iriafen all making their World Cup debuts in Berlin. Veterans Breanna Stewart, Chelsea Gray, and Kahleah Copper remain to anchor the squad as the U.S. pursues a fifth consecutive world title.
This roster shakeup could reshape the competitive balance of the World Cup, potentially giving rival nations a more realistic path to dethroning a U.S. program that has won four straight titles. Fans of the WNBA may feel the sting of Plum's absence during the playoff stretch, while younger viewers could find new entry points through debutantes like Clark and Bueckers. The tournament may also serve as a measuring stick for how the next generation handles heightened international pressure without two proven stars.