Caitlin Clark’s Team USA Role Could Put Best Skill on Full Display

Expect this aspect of Caitlin Clark's game to shine through for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) passes the ball against the New York Liberty. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark is already arguably the best passer in the entire WNBA. But this elite skill should reach another level when she trades her Fever jersey for Team USA threads.

Clark and Aliyah Boston arrived in Berlin on Monday morning for the FIBA World Cup, as both are on the Team USA roster. And these next few weeks should allow her to showcase just how great her already generational passing can be.

This is because Clark will be playing alongside some of the best players in the world. These stars will not only capitalize on Clark's next-level vision by finishing the opportunities her passing can create, but they'll also be able to put themselves in better positions to receive these assists.

Plus, Team USA has so much offensive talent that Clark doesn't need to do as much as a scorer. She can instead focus on producing for her teammates, playing pass-first instead of looking to create opportunities for herself to score.

This isn't to say the Indiana Fever don't already do a good job of capitalizing on Clark's elite passing. But since her role is different and the talent around her is greater than it would be during any WNBA game, fans can expect Clark's passing abilities to shine once Team USA begins its FIBA World Cup slate.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks to pass the ball. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Will Caitlin Clark Start on Team USA?

One of the storylines during Team USA's qualifying tournament back in March was whether Clark was a starter. Some were frustrated about her coming off the bench for some games, but anybody who feels like this is somehow a slight against Clark needs to find something else to be irked about.

For one, Clark coming off the bench didn't diminish her performance, which was shown by her being named MVP of that qualifying tournament. It also makes sense for Kara Lawson to experiment with different starting lineups and rotations to see what she likes best. And with so much talent and prestige on Team USA's roster, it's more than fair for Clark (who doesn't have as much experience with the senior national team as several of her teammates, such as fellow point guard Chelsea Gray) to defer some starts to her.

More important than who starts is who will finish games for Team USA, and it's hard to imagine Clark will be on the bench when it matters most for the USA roster. Then again, Team USA might blow out every World Cup opponent, which could make the end of games meaningless.