Team USA will enter the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup without two of its biggest stars.
Two-time FIBA Women’s World Cup gold medalists A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will no longer compete for Team USA in the upcoming tournament due to health reasons, USA Basketball announced Monday.
The news is particularly significant for Plum, who will also miss the remainder of the 2026 WNBA season as she continues to recover from a lower-leg injury. Plum has dealt with a calf/lower-leg issue throughout the season, limiting her availability and performance.
Wilson’s absence is a major blow to Team USA as well. The four-time WNBA MVP was originally selected to the 12-player roster after another dominant season with the Las Vegas Aces. She was also named the Most Outstanding Player of both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup.
Mystics Duo Replaces Wilson and Plum
USA Basketball has added two Washington Mystics stars to fill the vacancies.
Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron have been added to the Team USA roster and will make the trip to Berlin for the World Cup. Citron is set to make her senior national-team debut, while Iriafen previously represented the United States during World Cup qualifying.
The additions preserve significant WNBA talent on a Team USA roster that still includes Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Paige Bueckers, Aliyah Boston and Jackie Young, among others.
Team USA is seeking its fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s World Cup gold medal when the tournament begins Sept. 4 in Berlin.
While the Americans remain loaded with talent, losing Wilson and Plum this close to the tournament represents a significant adjustment for head coach Kara Lawson and the national team.
For Plum, the decision also brings her 2026 WNBA season to an early end as she prioritizes getting her body fully healthy.
The FIBA Women’s World Cup begins Sept. 4.
