The 2026 FIBA World Cup is deep in the knockout rounds, and while gold medals are on the line, everyone’s whispering about another prize: the TISSOT MVP award. Right now, one player is absolutely dominating the conversation, rocking a mind-blowing +84 plus-minus that screams “future MVP” from the rooftops.
Gabby Williams Is France’s Unstoppable Engine
Seriously, Gabby Williams is just built different for France. Without her, they’re good, sure, but not *this* good. She’s the connector, making their offense look smooth as butter and blowing the ceiling off what they can achieve. She leads the entire World Cup in points, dropping a crazy 18.7 per game. Add in her 4.7 boards, 3.3 assists, 2.7 steals, plus that wild +84 plus-minus? Williams *is* France’s MVP. If they keep this undefeated run going to gold, she’s walking away with the MVP trophy, no question.
Meesseman Carries Belgium While USA Spreads The Love
But hold up, Gabby isn’t the only one out there grinding. Emma Meesseman is a huge reason Belgium is even in the quarterfinals, playing as well as literally anyone in the tournament. She’s averaging a team-high 18.3 points and 8 rebounds per game. Her passing? Just as impressive, with 5.3 assists per game, second only to her teammate Julie Allemand. Belgium needs Meesseman to win, plain and simple. Carrying your squad and elevating them beyond what they could do without you? She fits that bill perfectly, and three more wins could seal that MVP trophy for her.
Team USA is a whole different beast, giving off total “super team” vibes, but it’s such a collaborative effort, right? Nobody *dominates* individually, but collectively, they get it done. That makes the MVP talk kinda tough for them. Lots of players are performing, but who really stands out? If USA snags that World Cup again, an American *has* to be in the running.
Stewie Chasing History, Clark On The Cusp
Breanna Stewart and Caitlin Clark are the two names popping up for Team USA. Stewart is always flirting with a double-double, averaging 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. Remember when Team USA looked shaky against Italy? Stewie stepped up huge, dropping 19 points against Czechia to spark that bounce-back win. That’s leadership! She just *goes* and gets a big game with ease to re-establish USA dominance when they need it most. And get this: she’s already got a World Cup MVP from 2018. If she pulls this off, she’d be the first-ever two-time World Cup MVP. That’s history right there!
Then there’s Caitlin Clark. She’s logging more minutes than any other American, at 21.9 per game. Her 8 points per game aren’t exactly screaming MVP *yet*, but her 6.3 assists per contest put her third in the whole dang tournament. She might not be a prime candidate right *now*, but trust me, the big games are coming. Anyone who’s watched Clark knows she’s just one deep three away from igniting an absolute hot streak.
This MVP race is heating up fast. France and Belgium rely heavily on their stars, and Team USA’s collective strength always threatens. Every game from here on out carves out who truly deserves that TISSOT MVP hardware. Who lifts the gold and the individual honor? We’re on the edge of our seats!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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