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Where Caitlin Clark Could Play Next in WNBA Offseason

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark could be competing in a unique location next year.
Grant Young|
Jun 24, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball against the Seattle Storm during the second half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Jun 24, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball against the Seattle Storm during the second half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

When speaking to the media for her Indiana Fever exit interview on October 2, superstar guard Caitlin Clark shared what her focus will be for this upcoming WNBA offseason.

"There's some USA basketball stuff I need to get ready for," Clark said. "And I need to be able to find some runs, and ways to play five-on-five, just so I can kind of get that feel back. But more than anything, I think my main focus is really just getting my body healthy," Clark said.

"And once we get back to five-on-five, just being able to test my body and making sure it's in a good spot, where I know it's gonna be able to hold up with everything that we think we've corrected to be able to know I'm in a really good spot there."

She later added, "Like I said, there's some USA Basketball stuff that is probably my top priority right now, that I need to prepare for. And I think that will help me prepare for next season, too."

Caitlin Clark looks on from the sideline during warmups on October 5, 2025
Oct 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Caitlin Clark looks on from the sideline during warmups before the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Given that Clark didn't specify which USA Basketball events she had circled on the calendar, this led to speculation about what she might have been alluding to. And all indications are that she was alluding to the training camp for the 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament. And given that Clark clearly misses competing, there's a decent chance she could partake in the actual tournament (which takes place from March 11 to 17), as well.

Where Will Team USA Play in the 2026 FIBA World Cup

The fact that Clark could be playing in the 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament has sparked a lot of intrigue. While it was known that the tournament would occur from March 11-17, it wasn't until October 7 that it became known where Team USA's games would be located.

The answer to this was revealed through a USA Basketball X post on Tuesday that announced the women's five-on-five team would be playing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the tournament.

Team USA has already qualified for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, which will be in September 2026. But this qualifying tournament in March could be the perfect way for Clark to shake any rust off and get the feel of competing at 100% health before the next WNBA season.

While it's too early to say for sure that Clark will be taking her talents to Puerto Rico for this tournament, this could be the first time fans get to see No. 22 compete in 2026.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

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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