Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers Among Players to Make USA Camp Debuts

United States women's national team coach Kara Lawson finalized the group of 18 players she and her staff will evaluate at next month's training camp in Durham, North Carolina.

The early roster pool has 10 players who will work out with the senior national team for the first time, including Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and Sonia Citron.

In the case of USC star JuJu Watkins, she'll attend the training camp but refrain from taking the court as she recovers from a torn ACL. Being around the team will at least build up a better rapport with her coaches and teammates while showing her how the senior national team is different from the youth squads.

This is the time for Lawson to cast a wide net and evaluate as many players as possible.

The training camp roster doesn't have some notable stars who are basically locks to compete in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in September 2026.

A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier have all won multiple gold medals in the Summer Olympics, and they have little to prove to USA Basketball. Sabrina Ionescu and Alyssa Thomas aren't taking part in the training camp, either, and both could be tough to unseat.

With the exception of Watkins and UCLA center Lauren Betts, pretty much all of the other first-timers could have a compelling case to play in the World Cup. Each one brings something to the table.

Then you throw in the more seasoned vets (Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young) and three-time WNBA All-Star Aliyah Boston, who got crowded out for the 2024 Summer Olympics

As in the men's game, the gap between the United States and the rest of the world is closing. France nearly forced overtime in the 2024 gold medal game.

But the training camp roster illustrates how much talent continues to come through the U.S. pipeline. When the moment arrives, Lawson and new managing director Sue Bird will have a hard time finalizing the team that travels to Germany next fall.