Team USA had no reason to send their strongest team to Puerto Rico for the FIBA Women’s World Cup after winning the 2025 Women’s AmeriCup. However, eyes were still on their delegation due to the presence of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers on the roster.
Hoops fans were especially excited with the Indiana Fever star’s first foray back to high-level basketball after ending her 2025 WNBA season prematurely with a groin injury. However, expectations remained high for her return as she still finished her injury-riddled second season with averages of 16.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 8.8 APG and 1.6 SPG.
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While fans still expected Clark to still struggle with a bit of rust in her return to high-level ball, she was able to finish her first foray into the senior team with flying colors. She even received an incredible honor that Team USA publicly praised.
Team USA Posts About Caitlin Clark’s MVP-Caliber Performance During Qualifiers
FIBA announced the 24-year-old West Des Moines, IA native as the MVP of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her stellar averages of 12.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 6.3 APG and 15.5 EFF made her an easy choice for the award.
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Team USA posted about her achievement on Instagram, noting her impact on the team.
“MVP CC12,” they captioned the post.
Clark wasn’t the only one who had a solid run of games with the national team. Reese averaged 6.8 points, 8 boards, and 12.4 EFF. Meanwhile, Bueckers had a respectable 10.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 12.6 EFF.
Related: Angel Reese’s Interaction With Paige Bueckers in Puerto Rico Catches Attention
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.