Coach Kara Lawson weighs Caitlin Clark's role as USA prepares for FIBA World Cup

During a media session, Team USA head coach Kara Lawson highlighted Caitlin Clark's potential to open up the floor for the United States at the FIBA World Cup, while stressing that decisions on her playing time are still pending. Lawson said she is gathering information on how international opponents will guard Clark compared with the WNBA, where she typically draws heavy attention. Clark's MVP performance at the March qualifiers, where she averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 assists while shooting efficiently, showed she could find more space against less competitive teams.

The upcoming tournament will feature more seasoned teammates such as Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, unlike the qualifiers. Lawson described this stage as a "fact-finding" period to determine the best fit for Clark's skill set. After recovering from a series of injuries, Clark entered August with solid scoring and playmaking stats, indicating she is ready for a larger role.