Caitlin Clark did not get a starting spot in Team USA’s FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup opener, but she did not need one to quickly make herself part of the story.
Coach Kara Lawson opted for a veteran-heavy starting five of Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart against China in Berlin, leaving Clark on the bench for the opening tip.
The decision immediately drew attention because Clark entered the tournament as one of the highest-profile players on the roster and had already been named MVP of the World Cup qualifying tournament in San Juan, where she averaged 11.6 points and a tournament-best 6.4 assists.
By the final buzzer, however, the rotation question mattered far less than the result.
The United States beat China 94-61, opening its title defense with a 33-point victory. Clark, Paige Bueckers and Rhyne Howard each scored 14 points, giving Team USA three co-leading scorers in the tournament opener.
Clark changes the game from the bench
Clark’s influence was apparent almost immediately after she entered.
She scored her first World Cup points, hit a deep three and had already accumulated four assists through seven minutes of action. By halftime she had six assists as Team USA built a 49-29 lead. Bleacher Report noted that the Americans finished the second quarter on a 16-4 run after China had cut the deficit to eight.
The contrast is what makes Lawson’s lineup decision interesting.
Gray remains one of the most accomplished international guards in the U.S. program, while Young brings elite two-way experience. Starting them is hardly surprising. But Clark’s passing range, transition play and shooting create a different offensive tempo—and that became visible quickly against China.
Team USA’s depth may be its biggest weapon
The bigger takeaway from the opener may be just how many options Lawson has.
The U.S. entered Berlin seeking a fifth consecutive World Cup title and carrying a long international winning streak despite losing A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum before the tournament. Reuters described this year’s competition as potentially Team USA’s toughest World Cup in years, with France, Belgium and Spain among the major challengers.
Yet even without two established stars, the roster includes Clark, Bueckers, Angel Reese, Aliyah Boston and other players capable of changing a game off the bench.
| Team USA opener | Result |
|---|---|
| Final score | USA 94-61 China |
| Winning margin | 33 points |
| Clark | 14 points |
| Bueckers | 14 points |
| Howard | 14 points |
China was also a meaningful opening opponent. The teams met in the 2022 World Cup final, which the U.S. won 83-61, and FIBA records show the Americans had won all 15 previous meetings between the countries entering Friday.
Team USA next faces Italy on Sept. 6 before closing Group D against Czechia on Sept. 7.
The question heading into those games is no longer whether Clark belongs in the rotation.
It is how long Lawson can keep one of Team USA’s most dynamic offensive weapons out of the starting five if she continues producing like this.
