Fans have been counting the days for Caitlin Clark hoops. They haven’t seen Clark playing competitively for 8 months, and the bits and pieces on social media no longer satisfy them. The Indiana Fever star shut down her 2025 season in July, but she was never really fit during the 13 games she did play. Now she will return to the court, but for Team USA. And that badge has never felt heavier for Caitlin Clark. 

“I mean, I don’t even think it’s necessarily maybe nerves to a certain extent, probably almost like butterflies,” she said ahead of her senior team debut. “This is a super cool opportunity. If you didn’t feel that way, you probably don’t really care enough about it. Certainly, that’s how I feel about it for myself. This is a different stage.” 

You would think that after 4 years as an Iowa star and then exploding as the face of the WNBA, she would have been prepared for this. Playing for one’s country differs significantly from playing for your franchise. Opportunities like these don’t come around often, with the World Cup and the Olympics coming around every four years. These qualifiers are a selection round for who gets in the World Cup squad in September. However, having participated in numerous junior international tournaments and represented Team USA at the U-19 level, Clark has a deep understanding of the process. 

“You’re not going to come out here and be the star player,” she said. “That’s not how it’s going to be for USA basketball. You’re going to find a way to help the team win. You’re going to find a way to compete to the best of your ability.”

Just look at the names Clark will be playing with: All-Stars Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers will be alongside numerous 2024 Olympic gold medalists, including Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young. There is no room for ego when every player is a star. In addition, to become a star player, all the plays should be drawn around you. But there is not enough time to practice with the national team to do so.

“You’re not always going to be the person that shoots the most or scores the most or plays the most, but whenever your number’s called, you’ve got to be ready,” Clark said. She is a ball-dominant point guard, an orchestrator, if you will. But the playstyle at Team USA might change, as others love having the ball as well. She might play a more off-ball role as Team USA tries to find the right combination. Regardless, rather than being a star, Clark is just focused on getting herself back on the court, playing the entire game injury-free.

“But for myself, there’s certainly a level of—I don’t want to call it nerves, but excitement and joy,” Clark said. “I haven’t played basketball at this level for my first time back; there’s no better way. Get tossed out into the fire and figure it out. But I felt really good through practice.”

Multiple soft tissue injuries and a bone bruise are psychologically difficult to recover from. She might be ready and firing in practice, but her movements might not be as quick in games. It is all a matter of confidence. Once she starts regularly playing games, she will regain that rhythm. But Clark’s focus isn’t just on finding her own rhythm again. As she settles into the Team USA setup, she has also taken note of a teammate she believes deserves far more attention.

Caitlin Clark Highlights Kiki Iriafen Ahead of 2026 Qualifiers

The relationship between a point guard and a forward is extremely important. Often, you find them partnering up for a two-man game or the point guard finding the forward on a fast break. Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston have that kind of partnership. Unfortunately, Boston is out for the qualifiers after her injury in Unrivaled. Yet, Clark has another reliable forward on the roster: Kiki Iriafen. Ahead of the tournament, Clark found the time to praise Iriafen for her improvement since being drafted.

“The way her game has kind of evolved and how she’s just gotten better, especially over the course of the year—she’s only played professionally for one year,” Clark said about Iriafen. “I don’t think people always appreciate her and, like, notice her and what her game does.”

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As a rookie, Iriafen averaged 13.3 points and 8.5 rebounds with the Washington Mystics and finished as an all-star. At Unrivaled, she averaged 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds, helping Team Phantom to the finals. Iriafen was a force down low and dominated the paint. Her partner in crime, Sonia Citron, was the sharpshooter from outside. While Citron and Clark play differently, Clark and Iriafen can repeat this dynamic for Team USA.