WNBA fans voiced their anger after Caitlin Clark was left out of Team USA’s starting lineup for the opening game of their FIBA World Cup campaign.
Clark arrived at the tournament in standout form for the Indiana Fever, having delivered a string of electric WNBA performances that drew strong praise from head coach Kara Lawson.
Even so, it was not enough to earn her a place in the starting five against China, as Lawson chose to lean on experience for the first matchup.
Chelsea Gray was given the nod at point guard ahead of Clark, joined in the lineup by Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Breanna Stewart and Jackie Young.
Lawson went with the five players returning to the senior Team USA setup, meaning the emerging group headlined by Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese began the game on the bench.
The decision prompted an immediate backlash on social media, where fans questioned why Clark’s recent run of form had not been rewarded with a start.
Caitlin Clark had to wait for her chance to make her FIBA World Cup debut for Team USA
Many fans expected Clark to start in Berlin following her impressive WNBA performances
‘We get it, seniority instead of performance,’ one fan wrote. ‘Hopefully doesnt hurt them.’
Another said: ‘Caitlin Clark should be starting without a doubt…’ as others called the decision ‘moronic’ and said ‘CC not starting is proof the wnba has a problem’.
‘What a joke!’ one fan wrote. ‘When will people understand that she’s not only the most exciting player to watch but also one of the best?!’.
Others said the bench was ‘better than the starting five’ and raised concerns USA is ‘playing with fire’ with tougher tests to come later in the competition.
Nonetheless, the USA ran out 94-61 winners, with Clark contributing 14 points and 11 assists off the bench to lead the team in scoring, along with fellow replacements Paige Bueckers and Rhyne Howard.
Speaking before the opening game, Lawson heaped praise on Clark. She said: ‘Caitlin’s focused. She’s had a great campaign with Indiana. I’ve gotten to watch her a lot in person this summer. So she’s locked in and ready to go.
‘She’s somebody that can change games with her ability to create pace, her ability to score, playmake, and so that’s something that is gonna be a great fit for the personnel that we have on this team.
‘Her ability to get going and get hot, and to stretch the floor, the spacing that she provides, the attention that she generally draws in the WNBA ― we’ll see if that’s the same. … We’ll have to see, since (it’s) her first time here, is how people defend her. Is it similar to what we see in the (United) States, or is it a little bit different?’
Clark also spoke about the opportunity to play for Team USA on the global stage.
Clark eventually came off the bench as the USA faced China in their opening game
Kara Lawson opted for an experienced starting five with Chelsea Gray at point guard
‘It’s crazy, and I think you know, you get used to it,’ Clark said. ‘I think at the same time, I almost think about it another way. Like, how lucky am I? This is pretty special and pretty cool, and there’s so many people that would kill to be in this spot and have this type of opportunity.
‘Especially to play for the USA team, let alone play in the WNBA and live out your dream every single day. So I try to look at, look at it the other way and think about how lucky I am and how grateful I am. Sure, there are moments where it’s exhausting and it’s a lot. There’s a lot of attention, but that’s what you sign up for and that’s what you dream of.
‘More than anything, what gets you up to play every single day is the amount of fans that you get to play in front of – and to help grow the game globally.’
