A’ja Wilson stepped down from the Team USA roster for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, citing lingering back issues. But some in the WNBA world took Wilson’s absence as an ego issue, bringing Caitlin Clark into the picture and accusing the three-time WNBA champion of not wanting to share the spotlight with Clark.
Veteran sports anchor Linda Cohn also called out Wilson, suggesting Clark’s growing influence played a role in the three-time WNBA champion’s decision to withdraw her name from the World Cup-bound team.
However, Cohn’s assessment of the issue didn’t sit well with South Carolina legend and head coach Dawn Staley, who clapped back at the former ESPN anchor.
Dawn Staley Pushes Back on Linda Cohn’s Caitlin Clark-A’ja Wilson Theory
For Team USA, Wilson’s absence certainly stung. The Las Vegas Aces star is one of the best players in women’s basketball. She has two gold medals in FIBA events, and her international experience would have been a significant help for the team.
So, her sudden withdrawal from the team raised eyebrows, but the likes of Cohn viewed it through a different lens.
During the latest episode of the Linda Cohn Show, the former SportsCenter anchor suggested that Wilson could have been uncomfortable with the spotlight shifting toward her biggest MVP competition.
“So is there any part of A’ja that didn’t want to spend the next couple of weeks watching the World Cup become the Caitlin Clark show?” Cohn asked.
“Caitlin walks into a building and the attention follows her,” Cohn said. “Could there be some insecurity, dare I say? Could she be thinking, ‘I’m the four-time MVP. I’m the best player in the world. Why does everything have to be about Caitlin Clark?’” Cohn added.
Cohn’s comments quickly caught the attention of Staley, who offered a blunt response.
“Linda please!” Staley wrote on X, suggesting that Cohn was unnecessarily exaggerating the issue.
Linda please! https://t.co/TXSzW2XvxH
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) September 4, 2026
Clark, meanwhile, truly stole the spotlight on her international debut against China and quickly showed why so much attention has followed her. The Fever superstar finished with 14 points, 11 assists, and 3 rebounds in 25 minutes as Team USA cruised to a 94-61 victory.
But her game-high 11 assists were the biggest attention-grabber. It was the most ever by a USA Basketball player in their FIBA World Cup debut and also marked the most assists without a turnover in Team USA World Cup history.
Team USA’s win in the FIBA World Cup opener has shown that Kara Lawson’s squad is still formidable without Wilson.
The controversy surrounding her absence may linger, but the Americans have already shown they have enough firepower to move forward. With a deep roster, Team USA looks poised to bring home its fifth straight World Cup title.
