Caitlin Clark set for unfamiliar new World Cup role after being labeled Team USA’s ‘worst defender’

Caitlin Clark will make her first appearance in the red, white and blue when she represents the USA at the FIBA World Cup.

Although the role that the Indiana Fever superstar plays in Berlin remains to be seen.

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A stacked Team USA roster features some of the best players in the WNBA.

That’s despite the withdrawal through injury earlier this week of four-time MVP and talkSPORT’s No 1 ranked A’ja Wilson alongside Kelsey Plum who has been shut down for the season.

It means Clark – outside of injury a regular starter for Fever ever since she entered the league in 2024 as it’s most anticipated rookie ever – may not even be secure of a position in the starting five.

Clark has put an injury plagued second season in the WNBA behind her to average 22.5 points per game at a career high 45.6% across her 36 appearances this season.

In 2025 she only managed 13 games as Indiana’s injury hit roster reached the WNBA playoff semifinals, pushing the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces as much as anyone.

Now, Clark is part of a Fever team that are second in the Eastern Conference, have high hopes of a first title since 2012 and has even found herself in the mix for MVP consideration.

But attention switches to representing her country, and she looks to be in line for a slightly unfamiliar role.

The US face China, Italy and the Czech Republic in group play, starting against China on Friday afternoon.

They will hope their tournament ends in the gold medal match on September 13 – anything else will be considered a major disappointment.

Aliyah Boston, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Breanna Stewart and Jackie Young offer hugely experienced big-game players with gold medals at Olympics and World Cups under their belts.

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Clark leads the next generation of stars on the roster, including Angel Reese and reigning Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers who are joined on the roster by Rhyne Howard, while Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen replaced Plum and Wilson.

While all eyes will inevitably be on 24-year-old Clark, she may have to play backup, at least to begin the tournament.

Collier, Stewart and Young seem almost certain to make the starting five, with Plum and Wilson offering different skilsets that need to be replaced.

Clark would appear to be in a straight shootout with Las Vegas Aces star Gray for the starting point guard spot – and Gray has the experience of the last three major tournaments in her favour.

She also has a fan in US coach Kara Lawson, who sung the praises of the 33-year-old during March Madness when the veteran watch their Sweet 16 win over LSU.

For one observer, there is one major flaw that will hold back Clark and Bueckers as the US target another World Cup success.

“Lawson 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,” CBS Sports WNBA writer Jack Maloney speculated.

“Inserting Clark or Bueckers into the starting lineup alongside Gray would give Team USA even more pace, playmaking and shooting.

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“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.”

Clark will surely see the court, and it’s likely to be the first of a long international career but it may take a little getting used to as she plays second fiddle to a generation of WNBA icons.

The last time the USA failed to win either an Olympics or World Cup gold was in 2006 when Australia claimed FIBA the FIBA prize, while the US have won each of the last eight Olympic tournaments.