Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston's Team USA Connection Goes Way Back

The FIBA World Cup won't be the first time Indiana Fever stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston have been USA teammates.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) claps her hands in excitement with Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) on Sunday, July 13, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Indiana Fever stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are obviously very familiar with one another on the court. Boston was the No. 1 pick by the Fever in the 2023 WNBA Draft and was joined by Clark who was the No. 1 pick in 2024. They now make up two thirds of the Fever's All-Star trio along with Kelsey Mitchell.

The FIBA World Cup will mark the first time the two have taken the floor as teammates for the senior national team. Clark and Boston were both members of the roster for the qualifying tournament in March, but Boston was forced to miss the action from San Juan, Puerto Rico due to injury. Clark wound up winning tournament MVP honors.

Both players are currently in Berlin, Germany for the World Cup in what will be their first high-stakes international tournament (the U.S. had already qualified for the World Cup prior to the Puerto Rico qualifiers). However, it isn't their first time as USA teammates.

In fact, Clark and Boston won gold together before either even played in college, for Iowa and South Carolina respectively.

That's because both were part of youth national teams in the past. Clark and Boston were teammates in 2017 for the FIBA under 16 Women's Americas Championship and again in 2019 for the U19 Women's Basketball World Cup. The U.S. won both tournaments.

Boston also played on the U17 World Cup squad in 2018, while Clark took part in the 2021 U19 World Cup, where she captured tournament MVP.

Clark and Boston's Role for Team USA in World Cup

It remains to be seen exactly what role each will play for Team USA in the 2026 World Cup, but expect them to be fixtures on the floor.

Boston's workload may increase due to A'ja Wilson bowing out prior to the tournament. Meanwhile, USA coach Kara Lawson recently gave high praise to Clark.

"She's locked in and ready to go," Lawson said of Clark. She went on to discuss the impact that the Fever guard can have in drawing defensive attention due to her gravity as a shooter and her playmaking ability.

We'll find out who starts for Team USA come its opener against China on Friday, but expect to see Clark and Boston in action together plenty—something they're obviously familiar with as Fever teammates, but also from their days together in a USA uniform in the past.