Caitlin Clark will not start for Team USA when it opens knockout play against Hungary in the FIBA Women’s World Cup quarterfinal, coach Kara Lawson confirmed.
Asked directly whether she would start Clark for the elimination-round game, Lawson said she’s sticking with the veteran lineup that has carried the team through group play.
“I think that our starting group’s done a pretty good job of getting us off to good starts, and rotationally from game to game we could change things, but I like where we are right now,” Lawson said.
Clark’s fellow young stars, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, will also stay off the starting five for now. When asked specifically about Reese and Bueckers starting, Lawson gave the same answer: “I like where we are right now.”
The decision comes despite persistent pressure from fans on social media, who have pushed for Clark, Reese and Bueckers to replace veterans in the starting lineup since the tournament began.
Clark’s Uneven Group Stage
Clark has come off the bench in all three group games for the U.S. She opened the tournament with a record-setting 14-point, 11-assist debut against China, then hit a career low against Italy, scoring just one point and missing every field goal as the U.S. nearly suffered a major upset. She bounced back with nine points and seven assists in a blowout win over Czechia to close group play.
Bueckers and Reese Step Up
Bueckers has been the more consistent scorer of the group. She matched Clark’s 14 points against China, adding four assists and two steals. Against Italy, she delivered one of the strongest all-around performances on the team: seven points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 19 minutes, and she made the Americans’ first 3-pointer after the team missed its first 10 attempts. She followed that with 10 points and five assists against Czechia, shooting 13-for-22 from the field through three games with only three turnovers.
Reese made her presence felt on the boards, grabbing nine rebounds in 17 minutes against China, including five offensive boards against one of the tallest frontcourts in the tournament. Against Italy, she scored eight points in 15 minutes, made all four of her free throws and recorded two blocks. She added 13 points and six rebounds against Czechia, finishing group play with 26 points and 18 rebounds despite playing fewer than 20 minutes in each game.
What’s at Stake
The U.S. has never lost a quarterfinal game in FIBA Women’s World Cup history. Lawson is putting that record in the hands of her veteran starters, even after their group-stage stumble against Italy, while the team’s biggest young draws wait their turn on the bench.
