Caitlin Clark Absent from Team USA Training Camp

Indiana Fever star left off 15-player roster for Phoenix camp this week

Mar. 31, 2026 at 7:49pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a WNBA basketball game broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes, capturing the dynamic movement and energy of the sport.The complex geometry of elite women's basketball is deconstructed in this conceptual illustration.Phoenix Today

USA Basketball announced the 15 players who will participate in a three-day training camp in Phoenix this week, but notable by her absence is Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. Clark made her Team USA debut earlier this month and was named MVP of the FIBA Women's World Cup qualifying tournament, leading some fans to question why she was not included in the camp roster.

Why it matters

Clark's omission from the training camp roster has raised some questions, but WNBA reporters have indicated this is a normal part of the national team evaluation process, with players rotating through different camps so the staff can assess talent. There does not appear to be any controversy around Clark's status, and she may still be in line for a spot on the World Cup team in September.

The details

The 15-player roster for the Phoenix training camp includes several Olympic veterans like A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Stephanie Dolson and Sabrina Ionescu. Monique Billings, Paige Bueckers and Rae Burrell are the only holdovers from the qualifying tournament team that went undefeated in Puerto Rico earlier this month. While Clark impressed in that tournament and was named MVP, the national team staff may have already seen enough to potentially include her on the World Cup roster later this year.

  • The training camp takes place from March 30 to April 1, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Clark made her Team USA debut and was named MVP of the FIBA Women's World Cup qualifying tournament earlier in March 2026.

The players

Caitlin Clark

Superstar player for the Indiana Fever who was named MVP of the FIBA Women's World Cup qualifying tournament after making her Team USA debut earlier this month.

A'ja Wilson

Four-time WNBA MVP who is one of the headliners participating in the Team USA training camp in Phoenix.

Napheesa Collier

Olympic veteran who will be taking part in the Team USA training camp this week.

Stephanie Dolson

Olympic veteran participating in the Team USA training camp.

Sabrina Ionescu

Olympic veteran participating in the Team USA training camp.

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What they’re saying

“Players will rotate through camps so staff can evaluate.”

— Meghan L. Hall, WNBA reporter for USA Today

What’s next

It is possible that the US staff, which includes Fever head coach Stephanie White, already has Clark's name highlighted for the trip to Germany in September, when the Americans will try to win the FIBA Women's World Cup for the fifth consecutive tournament.

The takeaway

Clark's absence from the Team USA training camp does not appear to be a cause for concern, as the national team staff rotates players through different evaluation camps. Her strong performance in the qualifying tournament may have already earned her a spot on the World Cup roster later this year.