Predicting Team USA’s World Cup starting lineup: Will Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers come off the bench?

Team USA's quest for a fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup gold medal was dealt a blow Monday when the federation announced that A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum would miss the tournament due to health concerns. They have been replaced by Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron.

Wilson has not missed a WNBA game in weeks, and no specific reason has been stated for her absence, which is likely related to fatigue. Plum, on the other hand, has only played once since Aug. 9 due to a lower leg injury that has hampered her all summer, and the Phoenix Mercury subsequently announced she will not play again this season.

The former Las Vegas Aces teammates have been stalwarts for the Americans in recent years. Wilson was the team's leading scorer at the 2024 Olympics, 2022 World Cup and 2020 Olympics, and has helped Team USA win gold at every major tournament since the 2018 World Cup. Plum, meanwhile, was the second-leading scorer at the 2022 World Cup, and was a part of the 2018 World Cup, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Olympic teams. (She missed the 2020 Olympics due to a torn Achilles.)

Team USA still has the most talented roster and…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/