Caitlin Clark, a kid from Des Moines, Iowa, did not want to wear the stars and stripes just for attention on the global stage. Instead, when she felt she had really earned it. And after what has been an MVP-caliber performance with the Indiana Fever, Clark can safely say she has fulfilled her own promise.
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Clark will be one of the headliners for Team USA in this year’s FIBA Women’s World Cup. And with much of the attention on the Fever phenomenon, Clark is grateful for the opportunity she already knows the difficulty of achieving.
“It’s crazy, and I think you know, you get used to it,” Clark told FIBA. “I think at the same time, I almost think about it another way. Like, how lucky am I? This is pretty special and pretty cool, and there’s so many people that would kill to be in this spot and have this type of opportunity.”
Alongside attention, patience has been one of the biggest virtues Clark has experienced in her story with Team USA so far. Clark’s gratitude to be a part of the national team comes after the time she was infamously omitted from the 2024 Paris Olympics squad following a legendary rookie season with the Fever.
“Especially to play for the USA team, let alone play in the WNBA and live out your dream every single day. So I try to look at, look at it the other way and think about how lucky I am and how grateful I am.” Clark added.
Clark made her senior team debut with Team USA back in March for the World Cup qualifiers. It was personally an important event for Clark, who returned to the hardwood a long while after playing just 13 games for the Fever in her sophomore season due to multiple lower-body injuries. There, Clark did what she does best and secured MVP honors for Team USA.
While the qualifiers, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, were just a formality for the already qualified Team USA after winning last year’s AmeriCup, it is now time for the serious business to begin, as every game matters from here on. And to say Clark is ready for the big moment would be an understatement.
“You know, since the last time I played USA Basketball, a lot has changed in my basketball career. It’s been, like, what? Five years now. So I finished college and now in my third year in the WNBA, and I feel really confident in everything that I’ve been able to do.” Clark said.
Clark travels to Berlin, Germany, after what has been a career-best season with the Fever. The three-time All-Star is one of the favorites to win the MVP award, and her averages of 22.5 points (third in the league), 8.4 assists (tied for first in the league), and shooting over 45% from the field display that to perfection. Her recent growth in impact has also been lauded by Team USA head coach Kara Lawson, who also believes Clark is playing at her best level yet.
“I think Caitlin’s been on a steady uptick from March when we had her, actually starts back in December when we had he until now. I think she’s improved in every area. She’s playing really well at this time,” Lawson said on August 18. “She plays at a high level. She’s doing that now, and she’s continuing to look better and better.”
Moreover, Clark’s audition for control of the reins of Team USA will begin with this tournament itself, as two-time World Cup winners A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum have opted out of the competition due to their respective ongoing injuries. This means Clark will take even more of a center stage than she did before, alongside her generation of stars like Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.
Clark and Team USA tip off their World Cup campaign on September 4 against China and are once again the favorites to win it all, having won the last nine out of 12 competitions.