Azzi Fudd Addresses Caitlin Clark-Paige Bueckers Team USA FIBA World Cup Pairing
The FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament is right around the corner, as Team USA's squad (which is led by young stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers) will be playing their first game on March 11.
While there are essentially no stakes for Team USA in this tournament (they've already qualified for the actual FIBA World Cup, which is taking place in September), the intrigue about this tournament is largely because this young core now gets to compete with each other as opposed to playing on opposite sides, which is what they've done for most of their careers.
Not to mention that Caitlin Clark hasn't competed in an actual game since the middle of last July, which is why her fans are clamoring to spectate her return.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Team USA's roster is that Clark and Bueckers will get to play alongside each other. Given their distinct skillsets (Clark being an elite sharpshooter and generational passing talent, compared to Bueckers' lethal midrange game and versatile scoring through contact), these two should complement each other's games in Puerto Rico.
Azzi Fudd Gets Honest About Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers Playing Together
One person who has played alongside both Clark and Bueckers is UConn Huskies star Azzi Fudd.
Fudd spoke with Women's Fastbreak On SI for a March 6 article and was asked about what this pairing might look like on the court.
"I'm really excited to watch the qualifying tournament. This roster is full of talent. Thinking about how that team is going to have to figure out how to guard that, I feel sorry for them. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch," Fudd said.
"Being able to play off that much talent, you're going to draw the defense in so many different ways. People are going to be wide open, and you have to pick your poison in a sense. So it's going to be a lot of fun to watch and cheer them on," she continued.
Azzi Fudd when asked about Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark sharing the floor with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament:
— Grant Young (@GrvntYoung) March 6, 2026
“You have to pick your poison.” pic.twitter.com/Fq2hY8SKaw
It remains to be seen how much Bueckers and Clark will actually be on the court together, as playing time will probably be allocated somewhat evenly among the entire Team USA roster.
But there's no doubt going to be opportunities for these two WNBA icons to share the court, and all women's basketball fans (including Fudd) will be eager to see how that turns out.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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