RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum have been ruled out of the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup due to health reasons, Team USA announced on Monday. They have been replaced by Washington Mystics duo Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron , both of whom will make their major tournament debut.
The Phoenix Mercury subsequently ruled Plum out for the remainder of the WNBA season due to a lower leg injury. She has dealt with injuries all season long, and has played just once since Aug. 9. Wilson is fully healthy and her decision to skip the World Cup is likely related to fatigue, though neither Team USA nor the Las Vegas has given a specific reason.
"I'm gonna see when it gets to that moment and how I feel," Wilson said last month when asked, prior to the roster announcement, about her thoughts on playing in Berlin. "My body's gonna tell it all." The Aces recently lost starting forward NaLyssa Smith for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury, which has, and will, put even more strain on Wilson as the Aces attempt a second repeat in the last five years.
On that front, it's worth noting that Wilson will now get a two-plus week break ahead of the playoffs, while other stars will have to make two flights across the Atlantic Ocean and likely play six games in 10 days. Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young are still playing for Team USA, so it's not as if the Aces now have some major advantage over other contenders, but Wilson getting extended time off can only help.
Wilson, who is likely going to win her third consecutive WNBA MVP this season, is the best player in the world and has been at every major tournament since the 2018 World Cup. She has also been the Americans' leading scorer in the last three major competitions: 2020 Olympics, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Olympics.
In Paris, Wilson was remarkable. She averaged 18.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.7 blocks on 59.2% shooting, and put up 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a one-point win over France in the gold medal game. Without her, Team USA would have almost certainly lost that game and seen their gold-medal streak come to an end.
Plum's absence will also be felt. She missed the 2020 Olympics due to a torn Achilles, but has helped Team USA win gold at the 2018 World Cup, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Olympics. In Sydney in 2022, Plum was Team USA's second-leading scorer behind Wilson at 15.8 points per game. When healthy this season, Plum was playing the best basketball of her career.
Iriafen and Citron are both All-Stars in their own right, but their arrival is a downgrade in both talent and experience for Team USA. While the Americans still have the most talented roster heading to Berlin, and should win the competition anyway, they are not quite as dangerous without Wilson and Plum.
Here's a look at Team USA's full roster after Monday's changes:
The World Cup will tip off on Sept. 4 in Berlin and run through Sept. 13.
Team USA has been drawn into Group D for the group stage along with China, Czechia and Italy. Their three group stage games are:
The knockout stage will begin with qualification rounds on Sept. 8 and 9. Team USA will likely qualify straight to the quarterfinals, which are set for Sept. 10, followed by the semifinals on Sept. 12 and the final on Sept. 13.
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