FILE – Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in action during a WNBA basketball game against the Chicago Sky in Indianapolis, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File) Caitlin Clark faces her biggest test yet at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup when Team USA meets France for gold on Sunday. WNBA journalist Aya Abdeen has questioned whether Clark is ready for the physical defense France could bring. Her concern comes after Clark struggled against Italy and Spain, despite starting the tournament with a record-setting performance against China. The final could show whether those difficult games were warning signs or just setbacks.
Caitlin Clark’s Team USA struggles against Italy and Spain raise concerns
Clark looked comfortable in her World Cup debut against China, finishing with 14 points, three rebounds and 11 assists. FIBA lists the 11 assists as her best mark of the tournament so far. She followed that with 10 points and nine assists against Hungary in the quarterfinals.But her two toughest games came against Italy and Spain. Against Italy, Clark scored only one point and went 0-for-6 from the field, including 0-for-3 from three-point range. She added four rebounds and one assist as Team USA escaped with a 55-52 win. The Guardian noted that Italy’s defense made life difficult for the Americans throughout the game.The Spain semifinal brought another quiet scoring night. Clark played 16 minutes and finished with one point, one rebound and one assist as the United States won 76-66. Team USA was pushed hard for three quarters before pulling away in the fourth. Reuters reported that Breanna Stewart led the Americans with 16 points.Those numbers explain why Abdeen’s warning has caught attention ahead of the final. She believes France can bring an even tougher physical challenge, especially against a guard who has not been able to find her shooting rhythm in the biggest games of this tournament.
France gives Caitlin Clark and Team USA a very different challenge
Abdeen shared her view on X before the final, saying: “I’m going to put out my brutally honest take for tomorrow’s gold medal game between the United States and France.”She added: “Some of y’all are not going to like this one: I don’t think Caitlin Clark is ready for the type of physicality France is going to bring. Yes, she has contributed for the US, but France is going to provide a new challenge.”There is a clear reason to watch that matchup closely. France reached the final after beating host Germany 86-64, with Gabby Williams scoring 22 points. The French team will also enter the game with confidence after controlling Germany from start to finish.Still, Clark’s struggles do not tell the whole story. Team USA has used her in a limited role, and her value has not always appeared in the scoring column. Against Spain, for example, CBS Sports noted that Clark was part of the group that helped change the pace early in the game.The final will also be a rematch of the 2024 Olympic gold-medal game, which the United States won 67-66. NBC Sports reports that Team USA is chasing its fifth straight World Cup title.For Clark, the question is simple: can she handle France’s pressure and become the playmaker Team USA needs when the game gets tight? Sunday will provide the clearest answer yet.