Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese unite on balanced USA roster for Puerto Rico World Cup qualifying tournament journey
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Feb 12, 2026, 03:43 IST
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese unite on balanced USA roster for Puerto Rico World Cup qualifying tournament journey
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese headline a balanced U.S. women’s basketball roster traveling to Puerto Rico for World Cup qualifiers, marking a shift from rivalry to shared purpose in national colors. The squad blends Olympic gold medalists like Kahleah Copper, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray with 3x3 standouts Jackie Young, Dearica Hamby, and Rhyne Howard, plus Aliyah Boston’s return. Emerging talents Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen add fresh energy to a veteran core. Clark, limited to thirteen games this season due to injury, has assured staff she is fully healthy. Breanna Stewart will attend training in Miami but skip the Puerto Rico trip, while Kara Lawson leads the group alongside Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts, and Stephanie White. The team faces Senegal, Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand, and Spain, already qualified for the Berlin World Cup. With experience and youth combined, the focus is on rhythm, cohesion, and pursuing a fifth consecutive world title together.
Fresh off making waves in college hoops, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will wear the same jersey, and this time, America's red, white, and blue. Their names have popped up on the list for the U.S. women's basketball team heading to Puerto Rico ahead of World Cup qualifiers. Not just about youth anymore, the group mixes newcomers with players who've been around the block. Back in that epic 2023 championship showdown, they were rivals eyeing the same basket. These days, they are sort of partners, moving in sync as part of a larger shift happening across the league.
Fresh off the bench sit players like Kahleah Copper, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray, who won gold from the Olympics, along with them are veterans who placed 3x3 at paris Jackie Young, Dearica Hamby, and Rhyne Howard. Then there is Aliyah Boston, back after years spent shaping America’s bid for the Games. Strength piles up quietly across positions.
New faces that are not so new are joining too. Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen are all set to step into the senior league, bringing new rhythm to how things play out.
Though Clark appeared in just thirteen regular-season matchups because of a setback, she says she’s past the pain; team sources note she told coaches at a winter gathering that she was healthy.
Breanna Stewart, the three-time Olympic and world champion, will join Miami's training sessions but skip the trip to Puerto Rico for the tournament. Leading the group in San Juan is Kara Lawson, who works alongside Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbets, and Stephanie White, each part of the December camp. After the tournament wraps up, Lawson heads back to Duke in time for their college playoff run.
The US squad will face Senegal, Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand, and Spain. Already locked into the World Cup in Berlin, come autumn, their focus now turns to claiming its fifth straight crown. A blend of fresh faces and seasoned players makes up the core, according to Lawson.
By focusing tough and getting that pace right, the team can bring home the World Cup. Star power mixes with newcomers while titles from past years add weight; this group grabs focus, fueling pressure ahead of the world stage.
Fresh off the bench sit players like Kahleah Copper, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray, who won gold from the Olympics, along with them are veterans who placed 3x3 at paris Jackie Young, Dearica Hamby, and Rhyne Howard. Then there is Aliyah Boston, back after years spent shaping America’s bid for the Games. Strength piles up quietly across positions.
New faces that are not so new are joining too. Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen are all set to step into the senior league, bringing new rhythm to how things play out.
Though Clark appeared in just thirteen regular-season matchups because of a setback, she says she’s past the pain; team sources note she told coaches at a winter gathering that she was healthy.
Breanna Stewart, the three-time Olympic and world champion, will join Miami's training sessions but skip the trip to Puerto Rico for the tournament. Leading the group in San Juan is Kara Lawson, who works alongside Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbets, and Stephanie White, each part of the December camp. After the tournament wraps up, Lawson heads back to Duke in time for their college playoff run.
The US squad will face Senegal, Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand, and Spain. Already locked into the World Cup in Berlin, come autumn, their focus now turns to claiming its fifth straight crown. A blend of fresh faces and seasoned players makes up the core, according to Lawson.
By focusing tough and getting that pace right, the team can bring home the World Cup. Star power mixes with newcomers while titles from past years add weight; this group grabs focus, fueling pressure ahead of the world stage.