Kelsey Plum and A'ja Wilson will sit out of the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, USA Basketball confirmed Sunday. The two withdrew for health reasons, leaving Team USA without two of its most experienced players ahead of the international tournament in Berlin.
Workload, Late-Season Injuries Sideline Kelsey Plum & A'ja Wilson
Plum, 32, is sidelined with a lower leg injury that already ended her WNBA season with playoff-eliminated Phoenix. She played just once since joining the Mercury on August 9th.
Wilson, meanwhile, shouldered a heavier workload after Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith went down with a season-ending knee injury. The 30-year-old has appeared in all but three games this season, averaging 26 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.
USA Basketball Adds Mystics Stars to FIBA World Cup 2026 Roster
Still, USA Basketball moved quickly to fill the gaps.
Washington Mystics teammates Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, both 2026 All-Stars, will join the roster for their first major global tournament.
Even without Wilson and Plum, there's plenty of talent in Team USA's FIBA World Cup lineup. Caitlin Clark, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, and Angel Reese headline a group chasing a fifth straight World Cup title when play opens September 4th against China.
Kiki Iriafen finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Washington Mystics beat the Phoenix Mercury 94-84 on Tuesday night. The double-double marked her 17th this season, extending her own franchise record.
The game also marked the return of recent Mercury signing Kelsey Plum, as she recovers from a calf injury that sidelined her since August 9th.
Washington Offense Dominates Mystics vs Mercury 1st Half
Washington's first half performance made the difference in the win. The Mystics shot 59% before the break to build a 51-33 cushion, and Phoenix never recovered.
Sonia Citron led all scorers with 19 points and nine assists, while Shakira Austin added 16 points. In all, five Washington players reached double figures, with Michaela Onyenwere and Lauren Betts each contributing 10.
Kelsey Plum Returns to the Court for Phoenix
On the other end, the Mercury went cold from deep, converting just three of 17 attempts from 3-point range. Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack each scored 19 in the loss, and Alyssa Thomas added 16 points with 10 assists.
Plum scored 10 points in 17 minutes of playing time in her return. Still, Phoenix's bench went scoreless until the 4:42 mark of the third quarter.
With the victory, Washington improved to 23-15, marking the second-most regular-season wins in franchise history. The Mystics and Mercury meet again Thursday in Phoenix at 10 PM ET on Prime.
The Mercury vs Mystics matchup Sunday belonged to Washington from the second quarter on, ending in a 95-75 home win. The result pushed the Mystics winning streak to seven and lifted the team to a 19-12 record. Shakira Austin and Sonia Citron each scored 19 points to pace the surging Washington offense.
Washington Winning Streak Hits 7 with Mercury vs Mystics Result
Phoenix led 21-20 after the first quarter. Then the Mystics locked in. The Mercury shot just 35.3% across the second and third quarters combined. Washington carried a 22-point cushion into the fourth and never gave it back.
Shakira Austin, Sonia Citron Lead Washington Mystics Scoring
Austin added 11 rebounds to her 19 points. Citron went 7-of-9 from the field and 5-of-6 from deep, with six assists. Michaela Onyenwere and Cotie McMahon chipped in 13 apiece. Kiki Iriafen posted 12 points and nine boards.
Kahleah Copper paced Phoenix with 15 points. Kelsey Plum, acquired from the LA Sparks earlier this month, sat the second half with a left calf injury after scoring five points in 14 minutes.
The Washington Mystics visit Las Vegas on Tuesday with a chance to tie the franchise record of eight straight wins, set in 2018. That matchup is scheduled for 10 PM ET on WNBA League Pass.
Phoenix’s latest addition wasted no time, as Kelsey Plum put up 20 points in just 21 minutes to lift the No. 10 Mercury over No. 11 Chicago. She went on to sink the game-winner in Monday’s 106-101 Mercury vs Sky win.
Plum saw her first on-court action since June 21st. The recently recovered vet departed No. 9 LA in Sunday’s headline-making midseason trade.
“It’s a cocktail for success, as far as I’m concerned,” Plum said of her fresh start in Phoenix.
Last night’s late comeback spoke to Plum’s value, as the 12-19 Mercury make a last-ditch playoff push with just 13 regular-season games remaining.
“We coveted her for a long time,” Phoenix GM Nick U’Ren said of the 31-year-old. “Because of her skill, because of her toughness, because of her character, because of her work ethic.”
Plum teams up with All-Stars Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, after Thomas notched a 19-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double on Monday.
The Mercury is back at it tomorrow, facing No. 6 Atlanta at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass).
The Mercury vs Sky matchup Monday night turned into a showcase for Phoenix's retooled roster. Kelsey Plum, traded to the team just 48 hours earlier, scored 20 points on 6-for-10 shooting with four assists in only 21 minutes in her debut.
But Plum wasn't carrying the load alone.
Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas Power Mercury Past Chicago Sky
Kahleah Copper poured in a game-high 31 points to lead Phoenix at Wintrust Arena. Alyssa Thomas added 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists for her 27th career triple-double. And DeWanna Bonner contributed another 14 points off the bench.
The combined effort lifted Phoenix to a 106-101 win over the Chicago Sky. It also moved the Mercury to 12-19, keeping them within reach of the final playoff spot.
Yet Thomas isn't getting comfortable.
"We don't have a choice at this point in the season," Thomas said. "We gotta give it everything that we have."
Plum's arrival gives Phoenix another proven scorer alongside Copper and Thomas. Whether that's enough to fuel a late-season push will show in the next few games.
The Mercury's next test takes place against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday at 7 PM ET on WNBA League Pass.
The LA Sparks traded Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday, parting with their top scorer just before the WNBA deadline. In return, Los Angeles received guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick. The Kelsey Plum trade caps a turbulent stretch for a franchise now fully committed to rebuilding.
What Led to the Kelsey Plum Trade?
The move wasn't a shock. Plum signed a one-year, $999,999 contract last offseason and reportedly had no plans to re-sign. By trade day, the Sparks sat at 10-17. They hadn't won in six games, and their playoff window had all but closed.
What Kelsey Plum Brings to the Phoenix Mercury
Health, though, is the central question for Plum.
A lower left leg injury has kept the veteran guard sidelined since June 21st, though she resumed practice on July 30th. Before going down, she averaged a career-best 23.9 points across 12 games. That's the highest mark for any player traded midseason in WNBA history.
Now Plum joins a Phoenix Mercury core of DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper.
The two-time WNBA champion brings five straight All-Star nods to her new home. Phoenix sits at 11-19, but this deal signals a win-now push. If healthy, Plum gives them a proven scorer down the stretch.
Top WNBA players might be on the move, as multiple reports indicate team front offices are starting to scramble ahead of Sunday’s trade deadline.
LA guard Kelsey Plum headlines the expiring contracts list, with sources claiming the 31-year-old doesn’t intend to re-sign — leaving the 11th-place Sparks at risk of losing their brightest star.
Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier is also up for grabs after signing a one-year supermax deal ahead of 2026 — but the No. 1 Lynx hold the leverage, with coach Cheryl Reeve calling her team “open for business” while under no pressure to move the MVP-caliber forward.
The playoff-hopeful Mystics might look to pair Plum with second-year standout Sonia Citron. Additionally, No. 14 Connecticut appears a top seller as forward Aneesah Morrow draws interest.
Tanking No. 12 Phoenix is said to be eyeing No. 4 Dallas’s Alanna Smith. Meanwhile, No. 7 New York is considering parting with longtime guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton despite a steep asking price.
“You can’t be afraid to make bold moves when you have a championship opportunity,” Wings GM Curt Miller said this week. “It’s easy to become comfortable with sustained success, but championship windows don’t stay open forever.”
Expect big news this week as the August 2nd WNBA trade deadline nears.
LA Sparks veteran Nneka Ogwumike will officially attend her 11th WNBA All-Star Game later this month. The forward heard her name called alongside 12 other standouts on Tuesday as coaches made their reserve selections following last week’s starters announcement.
Joining Ogwumike in the frontcourt are Liberty center Jonquel Jones, Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen, Seattle forward Dominique Malonga, and Atlanta’s Angel Reese.
The backcourt reserve selections include Mystics guard Sonia Citron, Atlanta’s Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, Toronto’s Marina Mabrey, LA’s Kelsey Plum, Minnesota’s Courtney Williams, and Las Vegas’s Jackie Young.
Kelsey Plum's WNBA All-Star Status Still Up in the Air
Plum is still nursing a lower leg injury that has seen her out since late June. A potential return for July’s All-Star Game is a possibility at this point, but not a guarantee.
Should Plum not return in time, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert can announce an injury replacement as more players just left off the list are waiting in the wings.
The recently selected reserves join an announced starting lineup that includes Indiana Fever trio Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell. Las Vegas Aces MVP A'ja Wilson and 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers also made the list.
The Indiana Fever is going through it, as No. 7 Indiana enters Saturday’s clash with No. 10 LA fresh off splitting two drama-fueled games with No. 12 Phoenix.
Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was issued a retroactive Flagrant 2 foul and one-game suspension yesterday. The penalty comes after her off-ball contact with Caitlin Clark’s neck went uncalled in Wednesday’s 111-109 Phoenix win.
“We have a generational talent and WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called," Fever coach Stephanie White said, slamming the officiating. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
Clark’s availability remains in question after she exited the midweek loss with back pain. Meanwhile, the Sparks strive to compensate for injured star Kelsey Plum.
LA conceded a regulation-game record 125 points to No. 9 Toronto last night. Tempo guard Marina Mabrey knocked down a historic 53 points to fuel the record-breaking win.
“That’s on us to be able to start the game better, so that we’re not digging from behind,” Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said postgame.
Where to Watch the Indiana Fever vs LA Sparks WNBA Game
Indiana faces LA on Saturday at 8 PM ET, live on CBS.
No. 8 LA took a big hit this week, as Sparks star Kelsey Plum landed on the injury list with a lower leg knock ahead of tonight’s clash with No. 10 Toronto.
Plum is expected to miss at least 10 games while Cameron Brink (ankle) is ruled out indefinitely. LA will lean on reserve guard Rae Burrell and newly signed Kiana Williams plus vets Nneka Ogwumike, Dearica Hamby, and Ariel Atkins.
Plum has been a statistical force in 2026. She’s averaging a career-best 23.9 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting 80.6% from the stripe.
The Tempo also enters tonight’s clash shorthanded. Toronto is missing top scorer Brittney Sykes (plantar fascia) and rookie Kiki Rice (ankle).
Marina Mabrey has been carrying the backcourt load, registering a game-high 23 points in Monday’s 94-87 loss to Atlanta to complement forward Izzy Harrison’s 21-point, 10-rebound double-double.
“As one of the leaders, I need to figure out a way to help us come out ready to play,” Mabrey said this week. “Then also everyone else in that starting lineup, we got to come out and just be ready to play.”
Where to Watch Tonight's Sparks vs Tempo WNBA Game
LA visits Toronto tonight at 7 PM ET, live on Prime.