The upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup is set to take place in Berlin from September 4 to 13, during which the WNBA will pause its regular season unless there are any labor disputes. Meanwhile, the 12-player roster for the World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico, scheduled from March 11 to 17, has been revealed.
According to a Sparks press release, the USA team, having secured their spot by winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, will compete in a six-team round robin tournament featuring a blend of seasoned veterans and promising newcomers. The roster includes Olympic gold medalists from 2024 such as Karlea Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young, along with 3×3 bronze medalists Dearika Hamby and Ryne Howard from the Paris Games.
Kelsey Plum brings two World Cup titles (2018, 2022) to the team, while Copper and Gray each have one (2022). Aliyah Boston, who has extensive experience representing the U.S. in junior and senior levels, returns for her first appearance since the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament in Antwerp. Fresh faces making their senior competitive debuts include Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Caitlin Clark, Kiki Ilagan, and Angel Reese.
Several players, including Boston, Howard, and Reese, have previous FIBA Women’s AmeriCup experience. Additionally, Boston, Bueckers, Citron, Clark, and Howard have earned gold in various junior-level competitions. The team also boasts athletes with 3×3 basketball backgrounds, such as Olympic gold medalists Plum (2020), Young (2020), Howard, and Hamby; Boston and Bueckers have also competed for USA Basketball in junior 3×3 events.
Three-time Olympian and world champion Brianna Stewart will join the squad in Miami for a pre-competition camp slated for March 7-8. It’s important to note that this lineup is not necessarily the final roster for the World Cup in Berlin this fall. Sue Bird, the managing director of the U.S. Women’s Basketball National Team, will oversee player evaluations and ultimately finalize the team, aiming to secure the nation’s fifth consecutive World Cup gold and 12th overall.
From the Sparks, teammates Cameron Brink and Rikea Jackson participated in Team USA’s training camp last December. Currently, Plum and Hamby are competing in the Unrivaled Miami 3-on-3 league, which concludes its final day on March 4.
Fan Take: This announcement is a thrilling sign of the depth and future talent rising through the ranks of U.S. women’s basketball, promising exciting international competition ahead. For WNBA fans, it highlights the increasing integration between the league and USA Basketball, which can only elevate the visibility and growth of the sport globally.
