In a headline that sent shockwaves across the WNBA, Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky sensation who has dominated conversations all season long, has officially been named to the USA Basketball senior national team camp roster. The dynamic forward will make her national team camp debut when the Americans gather at Duke next month — a moment that instantly elevates her already meteoric rise. For a player who built her reputation on grit, rebounding dominance, and unshakeable confidence, this call-up represents the next massive leap in her career.
This isn’t Reese’s first encounter with international basketball; she previously competed in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, where her versatility and physicality stood out. But this time, the stakes are dramatically higher. The USA senior national team camp is where future Olympians are forged, where young stars collide with established legends, and where every possession becomes a statement. Reese arrives ready for that pressure — and ready to share a gym with the biggest names in the sport.
One of those names? Caitlin Clark.
The Indiana Fever All-Star is also set to make her senior national team camp debut. After missing the second half of the WNBA season due to a groin injury, Clark finally gets her long-awaited shot. She had received earlier camp invitations during her time at Iowa, but scheduling conflicts stalled her Team USA trajectory. Now, she steps into the spotlight at full speed, joining a generation-defining group of first-time invitees.
That group includes an eye-catching lineup: Paige Bueckers, Cameron Brink, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, and Rickea Jackson, along with college standouts Lauren Betts (UCLA) and JuJu Watkins (USC) — though Watkins will remain sidelined while recovering from last season’s ACL injury. Adding local flair, Veronica Burton, the former Northwestern star who broke out with the Golden State Valkyries this season, also makes the roster, continuing her upward trajectory.
But make no mistake: these rising stars won’t have the gym to themselves.
They’ll be training shoulder-to-shoulder with Paris Olympic gold medalists: Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young. Add in 3-on-3 Olympic bronze medalist Dearica Hamby, 2022 FIBA World Cup champion Brionna Jones, and the ever-dominant Aliyah Boston, and the competitive level hits a historic high. For Angel Reese, this means not just opportunity — but intense evaluation. For Clark, it means stepping into a firestorm of attention, expectation, and scrutiny.
Leading this star-powered camp will be Kara Lawson, named U.S. head coach by Sue Bird earlier this year. Lawson, known for her sharp tactical mind and no-nonsense player development approach, will run the camp Dec. 12–14 at Duke. Supporting her will be WNBA coaches Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix), Stephanie White (Indiana), and Natalie Nakase (Golden State), creating a coaching unit with deep playoff and player-development credibility.
Looking ahead, Team USA will travel to Puerto Rico in March for the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifier. The Americans have already punched their ticket to next year’s World Cup in Germany, but their pool — featuring Italy, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Senegal, and Spain — ensures they’ll need to stay sharp.
This Duke camp is more than a routine gathering. It’s a crossroads moment — for Reese, for Clark, for the next generation of stars, and for the legacy of Team USA. With pressure rising, rosters tightening, and spots becoming harder to earn than ever, one thing is clear:
the battle for the future of women’s basketball is about to explode inside one gym.
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