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FIBA Women’s World Cup 2026: Team USA hit with major blow involving A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum
A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum. Image via: Joe Murphy/ NBAE via Getty Images | Getty Images
Team USA’s roster for the FIBA Women’s World Cup just took a hit. A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, two of the most decorated names in USA Basketball, will not suit up in Berlin.USA Basketball confirmed the withdrawals in a Monday statement, and the timing could hardly be worse. With the U.S. chasing a fifth straight World Cup gold and a brutal group stage waiting on the other side, losing this much frontcourt firepower forces a scramble nobody wanted.
A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum pull out of USA roster
A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are both out of the World Cup for health reasons, USA Basketball announced Monday. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen have already been named as their replacements, and both are in Berlin preparing for the tournament opener against China on Friday.It is a significant loss on paper. Wilson is the reigning MVP of the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics, and Plum has been one of the program’s most reliable bench weapons at both events.
Why A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum pulled out
Plum’s absence linked to a lower leg injury that has bothered her most of the WNBA season. She missed nearly six weeks earlier in the year, returned in August, then saw the injury flare up again after her trade from the Los Angeles Sparks to the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury has since ruled her out for the rest of the WNBA season too.Wilson’s situation is murkier. She has dealt with a back issue that popped up on the injury report twice in the past week, though she still played 30 minutes in her last game before the FIBA break.A source told ESPN she has not been fully healthy for a while and there was concern the World Cup’s packed schedule would make things worse. Wilson had already hinted at this balancing act back in July. “I have given it some thought, not going to lie,” she told The Dunker Spot, adding that she planned to let her body guide the decision as the moment got closer.
Who will replace A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum?
Team USA turned to two Washington Mystics teammates. Sonia Citron, who is averaging 16.8 points per game this season, steps in as a shooting guard rather than a natural point guard, which was Plum’s primary role.Kiki Iriafen, one of the WNBA’s better young power forwards, gives the frontcourt some of the depth it loses without Wilson. Iriafen already has international experience with this group, having played for the U.S. at the World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico back in March.
What A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum’s absence means for Team USA
Even with a roster this deep, losing the best player in the world changes things. Wilson averaged a double-double in Paris, 18.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks a game, and closed the gold medal win over France with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Plum’s bench scoring helped hold off that same French team’s late push.
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Replacing that kind of production is not simple.The schedule does not offer much room to adjust either. Team USA opens with three games in four days, and if it reaches the final, that becomes six games in ten. Kara Lawson is running her first major international tournament as head coach, though eight of the twelve players in Berlin were part of the Puerto Rico qualifying roster, which should help the group settle in faster than the circumstances suggest. Aliyah Boston, who has been playing through a leg issue of her own, is also worth watching as the minutes get redistributed.
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