Caitlin Clark Rejects ‘Star Player’ Label With Team USA
It's hard to imagine Caitlin Clark surrendering the spotlight on a basketball court to somebody else.
Not because Clark is greedy when it comes to being a star, but because nobody else in women's basketball compares to the stardom that she generates — even after just two WNBA seasons (one of which she was limited to just 13 games). And the 24-year-old will get to display that stardom on an international scale during the FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament, which takes place from March 11 to March 17 in Puerto Rico.
USA basketball is always fascinating because every player must encompass different roles than they would on their normal teams, given that each squad is loaded with stars. Given the amount of firepower on Team USA during this tournament, it will be interesting to see who steps into what role.
Caitlin Clark Addresses Team USA ‘Star Player’ Narrative
Clark addressed this when speaking to the media after a Team USA practice on March 9.
"I mean, I don't think it's even necessarily really, maybe nerves to a certain extent. Probably almost butterflies. Like, this is a super cool opportunity. And if you didn't feel that way, you probably didn't care enough about it. Certainly, that's how I feel about it for myself. Like, this is a different stage," Clark said, per an article from Chloe Peterson of IndyStar.
"You're not gonna come out here and be the star player, that's not how it's gonna be for USA basketball. You're gonna find a way to help the team win, you're gonna find a way to compete to the best of your ability," Clark continued. "But I think for myself, there's certainly a level of, I don't want to call it nerves, but excitement, and joy.
"I mean, I haven't played basketball in eight months, either. So getting to do it at this level for my first time back, there's no better way. Getting tossed into the fire, and figure it out. But I felt really good through practice. So more than anything, just really excited. But I know the day of the game, I'm gonna be hyped up and probably a little anxious, but in a good way," Clark concluded.
Three minutes with CC in Puerto Rico here:https://t.co/xW1uoit0Hx https://t.co/5kPhU5hTgG
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) March 9, 2026
Clark saying that she isn't going to be Team USA's star player is raising eyebrows. While she meant that in her not talking the lion's share of shots, there's clearly one player whose stardom exceeds the rest on the USA squad, regardless of whether she wants to acknowledge it.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the Indiana Fever 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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