A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are officially out of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, taking a massive hit to Team USA just days before the tournament kicks off in Berlin. Team USA announced the change Monday, citing health reasons, and the reality is, this isn’t just a shake-up, it’s a huge downgrade for the Americans on the world stage. Washington Mystics duo Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron are stepping in, making their major tournament debuts, but let’s be real, those are some massive shoes to fill.
The MVP Absence That Changes Everything
This is where it gets wild. While Plum is battling a lower leg injury that’s sidelined her from the Phoenix Mercury for the rest of the WNBA season, Wilson’s situation is different. She’s fully healthy, but her decision to skip the World Cup is likely tied to fatigue. As she put it last month, before the roster was even set, “My body’s gonna tell it all.” This isn’t just any player sitting out. Wilson is probably about to snag her third consecutive WNBA MVP trophy this season. She’s the best player on the planet and has been Team USA’s go-to scorer in the last three major competitions: the 2020 Olympics, 2022 World Cup, and 2024 Olympics. Remember Paris? Wilson was absolutely unstoppable, averaging 18.7 points, 10.2 boards, 1.5 steals, and 2.7 blocks on nearly 60% shooting. She dropped a ridiculous 21 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks in that one-point gold medal win over France. Without her, Team USA almost certainly loses that game, and that gold-medal streak is gone.
Plum’s Impact and Team USA’s New Reality
Plum’s absence is also a huge blow. She missed the 2020 Olympics with a torn Achilles, but she’s been crucial to Team USA’s gold medal runs in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, plus the 2024 Olympics. In Sydney back in 2022, Plum was the second-leading scorer behind Wilson, averaging 15.8 points per game. She’s been playing the best basketball of her career when healthy this season. Now, she’s out, and the Aces just lost NaLyssa Smith for the season too. Wilson gets a two-plus week break ahead of the playoffs, which is huge for her, especially with that “second repeat in five years” goal on the line. While Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young are still suiting up for Team USA, giving the Aces some representation, Wilson’s rest is a definite bonus for her team back home. Iriafen and Citron are All-Stars, no doubt, but losing Wilson and Plum means a definite downgrade in both talent and experience for Team USA. The Americans still have the most talented roster heading to Berlin and *should* win gold, but without their undisputed best player and another proven veteran scorer, they are definitely not as dangerous.
The tournament begins this week in Berlin, and Team USA has its work cut out for them, navigating a championship without its two biggest stars from the last few years.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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