Clark Comes Off Bench for FIBA World Cup Debut

Caitlin Clark made her highly anticipated senior international debut with Team USA at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup on Friday against China. However, she did not feature in Coach Kara Lawson's starting five for the tournament opener. The starting guards for Team USA were Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young, joined by Breanna Stewart, Kahleah Copper, and Napheesa Collier. Clark eventually checked into the game midway through the first quarter.

In her initial minutes, Clark scored two points with a layup, also dishing out four assists and securing one rebound in the first quarter. This decision by Lawson to start veteran players reflects a strategy to begin their gold medal defense with experienced hands. Clark had been performing exceptionally well leading up to the tournament, setting WNBA records in August for points or assists per game and achieving historic back-to-back 30-plus-point and 10-plus-assist games.

Clark's stellar August performances included averaging 24.4 points per game, marking the highest-scoring month by a point guard in WNBA history. Despite her individual accolades, Lawson chose a more seasoned lineup to start the World Cup. Notable players like Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers also began the game coming off the bench.