Looking at the WNBA schedule and wondering why there's a two-week gap in games?
That's because from Monday to Sept. 16 the league is taking a hiatus for the women's basketball FIBA World Cup where a cohort of its best players will be competing with their respective national teams. Players began arriving in Berlin this week with the tournament's group stages set to tip off on Sept. 4.
This break is a standard procedure during any World Cup year, but this season as the pool of international talent has expanded in the WNBA, even more stars will be on the global stage.
The U.S. women's national team will be competing for its fifth consecutive World Cup gold medal with a roster composed of some of the WNBA's biggest stars. Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson and Phoenix Mercury guard Kelsey Plum were late scratches from Team USA's roster due to injuries. But a new era of players, including Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings) and Angel Reese (Atlanta Dream), will make their debuts with other young stars like Aliyah Boston (Fever) and Rhyne Howard (Dream). Washington Mystics teammates Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron will be making their debuts as well, replacing Wilson and Plum. Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Jackie Young (Aces) will also be starring alongside veterans Chelsea Gray (Aces), Kahleah Copper (Mercury) and Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty).
The U.S., who will be led by Duke coach Kara Lawson, tip off the group stage against China, which it holds an all-time 8-0 record against. Team USA will continue the group stages with a Sept. 6 game against Italy, which it is 1-1 against in World Cup play, and on Sept. 7 against Czechia, which it has a 2-0 edge against, before the quarterfinals begin on Sept. 8.
#mercury
That's because from Monday to Sept. 16 the league is taking a hiatus for the women's basketball FIBA World Cup where a cohort of its best players will be competing with their respective national teams. Players began arriving in Berlin this week with the tournament's group stages set to tip off on Sept. 4.
This break is a standard procedure during any World Cup year, but this season as the pool of international talent has expanded in the WNBA, even more stars will be on the global stage.
The U.S. women's national team will be competing for its fifth consecutive World Cup gold medal with a roster composed of some of the WNBA's biggest stars. Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson and Phoenix Mercury guard Kelsey Plum were late scratches from Team USA's roster due to injuries. But a new era of players, including Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings) and Angel Reese (Atlanta Dream), will make their debuts with other young stars like Aliyah Boston (Fever) and Rhyne Howard (Dream). Washington Mystics teammates Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron will be making their debuts as well, replacing Wilson and Plum. Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Jackie Young (Aces) will also be starring alongside veterans Chelsea Gray (Aces), Kahleah Copper (Mercury) and Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty).
The U.S., who will be led by Duke coach Kara Lawson, tip off the group stage against China, which it holds an all-time 8-0 record against. Team USA will continue the group stages with a Sept. 6 game against Italy, which it is 1-1 against in World Cup play, and on Sept. 7 against Czechia, which it has a 2-0 edge against, before the quarterfinals begin on Sept. 8.
#mercury
1 day ago
