Mikayla Blakes Grows Stardom as she leads Team USA to Americup Victory

For every time that Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes went down the floor and scored in her 27-point performance on Sunday night, her star grew greater and greater.

Whenever Team USA needed a bucket in its eventual 92-84 Americup Championship win over Brazil, it was Blakes who appeared to be able to get it. That level of performance isn’t new for Blakes–who eclipsed 50 points twice in her freshman season at Vanderbilt–but this time felt different.

Mikayla Blakes (7/6/25) pic.twitter.com/eUtpoxSd0u
— @balapattyszn (@balapattyvids) July 7, 2025

Perhaps it wasn’t the sheer volume of scoring that Blakes had in some of her SEC masterpieces, but it was as impressive as most of those showings. This wasn’t an SEC regular season game or something that was capped by regional viewership. This was a game with national stakes.

And Blakes delivered.

The Vanderbilt guard was Team USA’s go-to scorer on Sunday night as she went 11-for-24 from the field 9-for-14 from two-point range and 3-for-4 from the free throw line. She got it off the bounce. She got it in transition. She got it off the catch. She got downhill. It wasn't a fluke in any moment. On a team full of stars, Blakes was the best player and the primary option.

It was Mikayla Blakes being Mikayla Blakes in a place where most stars have to dim their light in the name of winning. That says something. The crowd should've erupted in MVP chants.

Our Golden Girl@mikaylablakes scores 2⃣7⃣ points to lead @usabasketball to 🥇 at the @americupw

⚓️⬇️#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/PLg6M1YAGV
— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB) July 7, 2025

Blakes getting the BLOB drawn up for her late in the fourth quarter to generate a shot that would ultimately put Team USA up five shouldn’t have been a surprise. The Vanderbilt guard coming down and generating her own shot in winning time likely wasn’t, either. Most people in that gym likely knew where the ball was going, yet Blakes still finished the deal.

It wasn’t just that way on Sunday, either.

Blakes scored in double figures in six of Team USA's seven games overseas and was a star the whole way. Turns out that shouldn't be a surprise.

Perhaps that's indicative of Blakes' stock as a whole. Everyone knew coming into the summer that she could run the show at Vanderbilt better than anyone has in recent memory, but doing what Blakes did on Sunday raises her stock another level. She's a champion. She was the star of the championship team. She was the best player on a team full of stars.

If Blakes' stardom has another another level, here it is.