The buildup to USA Basketball’s December training camp arrives with anticipation, not just for the veterans returning to Durham but for the first-timers stepping into a senior national team environment. The roster blends Olympic champions with rising stars, and the mix hints that the competition for future World Cup spots may become far more intriguing than expected.
Training Camp Brings Together Established Names and Emerging Talent
USA Basketball announced that 18 players will attend the senior national team camp scheduled for Dec. 12-14 at Duke University in North Carolina.
According to USA Basketball, the group includes Olympic gold medalists Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young, as well as 3×3 Olympic bronze medalist Dearica Hamby.
USA National Team Training Camp Roster:
Caitlin Clark
Paige Bueckers
Cameron Brink
Jackie Young
Angel Reese
Kahleah Copper
Kelsey Plum
Rickea Jackson
Aliyah Boston
Brittney Griner
Sonia Citron
Kiki Iriafen
Veronica Burton
Chelsea Gray
Dearica Hamby
Brionna Jones
JuJu Watkins…— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) November 24, 2025
The program confirmed that Brionna Jones, a 2022 FIBA World Cup champion, will join Copper and Gray among the veterans returning to camp. Plum and Griner were both noted as two-time World Cup champions. Aliyah Boston, who has participated in multiple junior and senior team events, is expected in Durham as well.
The most-watched additions, however, come from the first-time senior camp invitees. USA Basketball listed 10 debut participants, including Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese.
The group also features Lauren Betts, Cameron Brink, Veronica Burton, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Rickea Jackson, and JuJu Watkins.
Watkins is still recovering from the ACL injury she sustained during last season’s NCAA Tournament, so she won’t take part in any on-court drills. However, she is still expected to gain value from being around the camp, learning directly from the participating players and coaches.
Many of the newcomers bring USA Basketball experience from the junior ranks. Betts, Boston, Brink, Bueckers, Citron, Clark, and Watkins hold gold medals from earlier competitions, while Betts, Boston, Burton, Jackson, and Reese have played in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Iriafen will make her USA Basketball debut in Durham.
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The camp also includes several players with 3×3 backgrounds. USA Basketball credited Plum, Young, and Hamby as Olympic medalists in the format, while Brink earned a World Cup gold in 2023. Burton, Hamby, and Jones carry AmeriCup medals in 3×3 competition. Boston, Bueckers, and Jackson have participated in junior versions of the event.
Duke head coach Kara Lawson will lead the training camp, marking her first assignment as head coach of the 2025-28 USA Basketball Women’s National Team.
She will be assisted by Natalie Nakase of the Valkyries, Nate Tibbetts of the Mercury, and Stephanie White of the Fever. USA Basketball highlighted White’s past playing experience at international events and her role as the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year.
Managing director Sue Bird will evaluate the camp as part of the selection process for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, where the United States will attempt to win a fifth straight title.
The roster battles in Durham may not decide the team outright, but they will likely shape the early picture for a group already qualified for the World Cup following the 2025 Women’s AmeriCup title.