USA Basketball announced on Monday that A'ja Wilson will pull out of the 12-player tournament roster due to health reasons. Five-time All-Star guard Kelsey Plum is also off the roster after battling a calf injury all summer.

Wilson's absence will be massive for Team USA at the 2026 FIBA World Cup in Berlin, but Kara Lawson's group doesn't have the time to sit with it.

Three days out from the tournament opener, the head coach made that about as clear as a coach can.

"Both of them obviously have been great players for us, and I'll miss being around them, but ultimately, we've kind of moved on," Lawson said, per Alexa Philippou of ESPN on X.

It's hard to overstate what Wilson has meant to this group.

She made her senior national team debut at the 2018 World Cup and has been the best player at every major event since — World Cup MVP in 2022, then Olympic MVP in Paris in 2024.

This season, she's been playing at an MVP level for Las Vegas, averaging 26 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game to put herself in position for a possible fifth WNBA MVP award.

Plum is as important to the team after winning two World Cup golds along with two Olympic gold medals. She was a key bench piece in the 2024 Paris final, helping close out a one-point win over France.

But this season has been rough on her body. After being traded to the Phoenix Mercury, a lingering calf issue limited her to just five games before the team shut her down for the year.

"We wish them both a speedy recovery with what they're dealing with, but we don't have time to be worried about who's not here. We've got to really focus on ourselves," Lawson added.

To fill the roster spot, USA Basketball called up Washington Mystics teammates Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron.

Iriafen helped the team to an undefeated record at the World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico back in March.

Citron, who missed those qualifiers with an injury, will now make her senior national team debut on Friday against China.

Kara Lawson also calls this World Cup the most challenging ever

Team USA have won four straight World Cup crowns and 11 titles overall. They have won 30 consecutive World Cup games dating back to 2006, when an emergency absence from legend Lisa Leslie led to a semifinal defeat against Russia.

Even with that record, Lawson warns that this tournament will be unlike any test the Americans have faced before.

"I think there's no question that the world is improving at a rapid rate. It's so exciting to see, and I see it at every level," Lawson said, per ESPN.

Lawson’s warning will be tested from opening on Friday against China, the silver medalists from the 2022 World Cup.

China brings one of the tallest frontcourts in the tournament, featuring 19-year-old Zhang Ziyu at 7-foot-3, New York Liberty center Han Xu at 6-foot-9, and Dallas Wings Li Yueru at 6-foot-7.

The rest of the teams look just as strong. Back at the 2024 Paris Olympics, France pushed the Americans to a single-point 67-66 finish that was decided on the final shot.

Two years later, that French squad is even more dangerous, featuring eight active WNBA players, including Gabby Williams, Janelle Salaun, Marine Johannes, and Dominique Malonga.

Written by

Md Saife Fida