Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will finally don the national team jersey. Clark arrives after missing the majority of her 2025 WNBA season through injury and her much-talked-about 2024 Olympics omission. Even Reese struggled through injuries last year but warmed up her engine at Unrivaled. It feels like this is a superteam with Paige Bueckers in the mix. Yet, there are some concerns regarding the change in approach to Team USA decisions. 

“I don’t want to put a damper on what’s happening at the World Cup qualifier, but I’m kind of disappointed at how many of the biggest names in the USA are not at this qualifying tournament,” Sabreena Merchant said on The Athletic: No Offseason podcast. “Because the World Cup is in September, and this is one of maybe two camps that they’re going to have before the competition.”

She pointed out players like A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, who were all part of the 2024 Olympic team and have been regulars of the setup, being absent from the squad. Admittedly, Collier is recovering from an ankle problem and even Sabrina Ionescu  missed Unrivaled with an injury. And the team has already qualified for the World Cup by winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.

“In the landscape of women’s basketball, which is ever-changing, offseason opportunities are ever-changing,” Bird said back in December. “I don’t think any player that you might think would have been here, not being here, has larger meaning.”

It probably means the current squad will experience multiple changes come crunch time. But that is exactly what Sabreena is concerned with. “I think that the USA should be maximizing more of these windows,” She said. “I look at this roster and it’s a very talented roster, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not nearly what I think the roster is going to look like in September. I’m just putting out a little bit of preemptive concern.”

The Team USA setup gets very little time with all the players together. They had a camp in December and now just before the Qualifiers. After the Qualifiers conclude, each of them will go their separate ways to prepare for the upcoming WNBA season. The stars would have helped build a core group for the World Cup. Yes, they have a blend of seniority in this squad as well. 

Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby give them experience. But having everyone, especially your Olympic starters, would have made for a better process, according to Merchant. Ideally, Team USA should receive priority over any brand deal or business venture.

“I want to make sure that people continue to take this system seriously and the process seriously,” Merchant further said. “USA will have people to fill out the roster, no matter if the biggest names come through, but if the biggest names decide not to go to training camp and then show up at the end, I don’t think it serves the product as well as it could.”

When they arrive at the 2026 World Cup, the team would have to effectively reset. The players would be different, the combination would be different. It’s inefficient. The USA does have enough talent to win regardless, but not putting their best foot forward might blow up on their faces. 

On the flip side, maybe the rest that was required and given to them will propel this team. This could build a strong young core for the long-term future. These games give the side time to try out different combinations and experiment. Ultimately, it’s a judgement call and Sue Bird has chosen to trust her youngsters. This change in attitude could descend the women’s national team into the bad habit enforced in the men’s basketball team.

Men’s Team USA Habit Set To Carry Forward To The Women

The Men’s Team USA Basketball team has been long following this play-only-at-major-tournaments style. The results have varied. In the Olympics, the stars show up and the team has dominated with 4 gold medals in the last 10 years. Their last non-gold medal came in 2004 when they won the Bronze. As a result of the superstar resting, the results have been shaky in the World Cups. The team came 7th in 2019 and 4th in 2023 with squads without Steph Curry, LeBron James, or Kevin Durant. 

“I think for a long time the women’s program, the hallmark of it, has been that consistency and showing up.” Chantel Jennings said. “And you’ve sort of put that in contrast to the men’s side, where it was like people just showed up for the Olympics and that’s it. And I wonder if the women’s program is going to start mirroring that a little bit more.”

With international relevance rising, the men had to field their stars at the 2024 Olympics in order to get the Gold Medal. Even after that, they needed some Steph Curry magic to get over the line. A similar rise in international Women’s basketball is happening right now. Dominique Malonga, or the “Wemby” of the WNBA, emerged from France as a No. 2 draft pick last year. 

In 2026, Awa Fam from Spain is in the running to be the No. 1 pick. The Golden State Valkyries was filled with international players and they went to the playoffs in the first season. So, Team USA needs to be wary to not repeat the mistakes made by the men’s team.