A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will not compete in the FIBA Women’s World Cup due to health reasons, Team USA announced on Monday.Plum also will miss the remainder of the WNBA season with the Phoenix Mercury, the two-time WNBA champion announced on Instagram. Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen will replace Plum and Wilson on the World Cup roster.The nature of Wilson’s injury is unclear. She has been a rare scratch this WNBA season, missing only three regular-season games for the Aces and the Commissioner’s Cup due to injury. She was the MVP of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2022 World Cup with the U.S. winning gold in both. Plum on the other hand has had an injury laden season, playing in just 17 games due to a lower leg injury. In Plum’s social media announcement she said her focus is getting her “body back to 100 percent.”
“Kelsey is a competitor, and she wants nothing more than to be on the court with her teammates and competing for the Mercury,” Mercury GM Nick U’Ren said. “We know how much it means to her to play, and how much she means to our fans. Ultimately, this was about doing what is best for Kelsey’s long-term health and making sure she has the time and support she needs to return to the court at full strength.”Plum, who was traded to the Mercury at the trade deadline, will be a free agent after this season and intends to go through the full process. She played in only five games for the Mercury in 2026.Citron will make her senior national team debut. She has been a consistent presence at recent camps. Iriafen competed with the national team at the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico this spring. She averaged 5.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in five games.The World Cup takes place in Berlin from Sept. 4 through Sept. 13. The WNBA is taking a break on account of the competition until Sept. 17.The women’s national team has won four consecutive World Cup titles and 11 overall. In 2006, it finished with a bronze medal.This team marks the beginning of a new era for USA basketball with young stars like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Citron and Iriafen all making their World Cup debuts. Aliyah Boston, Rhyne Howard, Jackie Young and Napheesa Collier will also be making their first World Cup appearance. The team will still have a heavy veteran presence with stars Breanna Stewart, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper expected to shoulder a heavy load as they look to defend their 2022 World Cup gold.
