Superstar guard Caitlin Clark is back, returning to the court for the first time in 239 days to notch a 17-point, 12-assist double-double against Senegal in her Team USA debut on Wednesday.
Clark was one of several US debutants in the team's 110-46 blowout to open the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament, as Paige Bueckers, Rae Burrell, Angel Reese, Kiki Iriafen, and Monique Billings also logged their first minutes with the senior squad.
"I thought they played well, I don't think you would have noticed that it was their debuts," said USA head coach Kara Lawson. "I thought they came in and had the appropriate level of respect for the game."
Having already qualified for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, the US tested five-player substitute rotations while leaning on depth to wear Senegal down.
"We don't have a lot of time together, so every match is super important," said veteran guard Kelsey Plum. "We're really focusing on what we need to do to get better and grow as a team."
"The starting lineup is going to change, the rotation is going to change," Lawson said. "As a coach, I am still in fact-finding mode."
How to watch Caitlin Clark at the World Cup Qualifying Tournament
The US will next face tournament host Puerto Rico at 7:45 PM ET on Thursday, airing live on truTV.
