FIBA World Cup: Caitlin Clark shows she’s ready to reclaim place among top WNBA guards

The qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIBA ​​Women’s World Cup in Puerto Rico concluded on Tuesday when Team USA defeated Spain 84-70, to complete a perfect 5-0 week in San Juan and finish in first place. The Americans had already qualified for this fall’s World Cup, but have now officially received their boarding passes.

As expected, Team USA led all teams in scoring with an average of 95.8 points per game. Their 14-point win over Spain was by far the closest game of the tournament, and their five wins came by an average of 42 points.

Now that all the action is in the books, let’s take a look at what we learned about Team USA and the 2026 WNBA Draft.

Caitlin Clark’s return is a success

When Caitlin Clark took the floor against Senegal in Team USA’s opening match, it was not only her senior national team debut, but also her first competitive match in 239 days. It didn’t take long for him to get rid of the rust. She went for 17 points and 12 assists in 19 minutes against Senegal and recorded the second-most assists ever in a FIBA ​​Women’s World Cup qualifying match.

Prior to this tournament, Clark hadn’t played since July 15, when she strained her groin — one of several lower-body injuries that derailed her sophomore WNBA season. She only played 13 times last season, was never fully healthy and rarely looked like herself when she was on the court.

Clark hasn’t been as sharp against all her opponents as she was against Senegal — the increased level of competition has certainly been a factor — but this week was a very positive step after eight months away. This is especially true considering she was making her debut with the U.S. senior team and often had to adapt to an off-ball role alongside other elite players.

Caitlin Clark records double-double in 20 minutes in debut for Team USA in FIBA ​​Women’s World Cup qualifiers

Jack Maloney

For the tournament, Clark averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 assists on 52.9% shooting from the field, including 40% from 3-point range, en route to MVP honors. Fittingly, she led the U.S. team and the tournament in assists. All signs point to Clark being on the plane to Berlin in September.

Additionally, she looks set to reclaim her place among the WNBA’s best guards once the 2026 season begins. This is great news for the league and for the Indiana Fever.

Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese make their point

Clark naturally generated the most buzz this week, but this tournament was also the senior national team debut for Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. Both have made their case to make the final World Cup roster.

There was a lot of discussion (and some consternation) about Team USA’s lineups and rotations in the first two games, but it was clear that Kara Lawson and the rest of the coaching staff were trying to get a feel for everyone on the roster using as many combinations as possible.

Against Spain, the only competitive competition, the rotations were quickly reduced. Nate Tibbetts, who was in charge of this one with Lawson back with Duke before the NCAA tournament, only played eight players until garbage time. Notably, Bueckers and Reese were part of this group.

Bueckers, who had nine points, two rebounds and two assists against Spain, was as usual, very efficient and versatile throughout the tournament. Her ability to create shots herself and play the offensive role the team needs is very valuable in the international game.

Reese, meanwhile, had four points and eight rebounds against Spain. Even though she didn’t put up big scores on a team with as much offensive talent, she was a monster on the glass, as she has been throughout her career. His energy and ability to control the boards are valuable qualities in the international game.

There’s a long way to go before Lawson and USA Basketball name the final roster for the World Cup, but Bueckers and Reese have done everything in their power to make their case to the selection committee.

WNBA Draft hopefuls Awa Fam and Iyana Martín impress for Spain

Awa Fam received a lot of criticism after a poor opening match of this tournament, and it had its ups and downs throughout the week. However, all that really mattered, at least in terms of WNBA draft prospects, was how she performed against Team USA. She was excellent.

Fam finished with 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, five rebounds and zero turnovers in 19 minutes against the WNBA’s elite competition and looked completely comfortable on both sides of the ball. She was active on the glass, made some nice finishes in the pick-and-roll, hit a step-back mid-range jumper and Dirk Nowitzki fadeaway over Dearica Hamby and even spent some time guarding Chelsea Gray.

It was exactly the type of performance you hope to see from a potential No. 1 on the big stage. On a personal level, it was one of the biggest nights of Fam’s career to date, and she delivered on her promises in front of Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller and head coach Jose Fernandez.

Fam wasn’t the only Spanish player to impress in Puerto Rico.

Iyana Martín, who had six points and six assists against Team USA, will be on everyone’s draft boards after her performance this week. She’s a spectacular playmaker, a defensive pest and is still only 20 years old. For the tournament, she averaged 11 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals while shooting 50% from 3-point range, and was second among all players in steals and third in assists.