In a move that instantly electrified the women’s basketball world, Caitlin Clark is set to make her USA Basketball senior national team camp debut when the Americans gather at Duke in December. After months of speculation — and after missing the second half of the WNBA season due to a groin injury — the Indiana Fever All-Star is officially stepping into the most competitive national team environment of her career. No easing in, no quiet return. This is full spotlight, full pressure, and full expectation.
Clark’s journey to this moment has been anything but linear. She was invited to multiple USA Basketball camps back during her Iowa years, but timing, school commitments, and scheduling conflicts prevented her from participating. Now, after becoming one of the most influential young stars in the sport, she arrives not as a collegiate prospect but as a professional centerpiece whose presence alone shifts the energy of any gym she walks into.
And she won’t be alone.
This Duke camp is shaping up to be one of the most stacked — and most scrutinized — in recent memory. Clark will join a wave of first-time invitees, including Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, Cameron Brink, Sonia Citron, Veronica Burton, Kiki Iriafen, and Rickea Jackson. Also invited are college standouts Lauren Betts of UCLA and JuJu Watkins of USC, though Watkins, still recovering from last season’s ACL injury, will remain sidelined. For many of these rising stars, this camp isn’t just an opportunity — it’s a golden ticket to prove they belong in the same conversations as the established elite.
Speaking of the elite, the newcomers will be training side-by-side with a powerhouse lineup of Paris Olympic gold medalists: Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young. Add in Dearica Hamby, who earned bronze in 3-on-3 at the 2024 Games, and Brionna Jones, a key contributor in the USA’s 2022 FIBA World Cup title run, and the competition level spikes even higher. And yes — Aliyah Boston, another rising force and one of the most anticipated young talents in the national system, will be in the gym as well.
The camp will be led by Kara Lawson, selected as the U.S. head coach by Sue Bird earlier this year. Lawson — known for her intensity, tactical clarity, and ability to develop guard play — will run the camp from Dec. 12–14 at Duke. She’ll be joined by WNBA head coaches Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix), Stephanie White (Indiana), and Natalie Nakase (Golden State), forming a coaching roster that’s as competitive as the players they’ll be evaluating.
But this camp isn’t just about preparing for the next international stage. It’s about shaping the blueprint for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup and beyond. The U.S. will compete in Puerto Rico this March for a World Cup qualifying event, though they’ve already secured their ticket to Germany. Their pool includes Italy, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Senegal, and Spain — a mix that ensures the Americans can’t afford complacency, even with qualification in hand.
This December gathering at Duke may look like a routine training camp on paper, but anyone following the women’s game knows better: this is a collision between the sport’s legends, its rising icons, and its future leaders. For Caitlin Clark, this moment is more than a debut — it’s a statement opportunity, a chance to prove she belongs at the table with the very best.
And with the brightest names in the sport converging in one gym for three pressure-packed days, one thing is certain:
Something unforgettable is about to unfold.
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