Team USA was primed to be the runaway favorite to win the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, with A’ja Wilson leading the charge on the offensive end of the floor.
Unfortunately for USA basketball fans, they won’t get to see the four-time MVP in action as she has dropped out of the roster.
Why Is A’ja Wilson Not Playing for Team USA?
USA Basketball revealed on Monday that Wilson would not be competing in Berlin due to “health reasons.” Washington Mystics duo Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were called up to replace Wilson and Kelsey Plum.
Wilson missed merely a single game in August as she was rested on the second night of a back-to-back on August 9. She was also listed as ‘questionable’ ahead of the Las Vegas Aces’ game against the Toronto Tempo on August 23 due to back issues, but ended up playing. Wilson dropped 27 points on 10-15 shooting from the field, so it’s clear that her health was good enough to dominate on one end of the floor.
The 6-foot-4 center would play in the Aces’ following game as well on Friday, which was also against Toronto, where she had 27 points on 10-17 FG shooting. Granted, the five days’ rest in between games certainly must’ve helped with her rehab.
But with Wilson dropping out of the blue, some have speculated that her lingering back issues were the reason she was replaced. Yahoo! Sports reported on Monday that the reason for her withdrawal could simply be for rest. She’s played 37 of the Aces’ 40 games and averaged 32 minutes per appearance.
With the playoffs set to tip off on September 27 and the Aces firmly in the mix for title contention, she could’ve simply wanted to rest amid a grueling season and be as healthy as she possibly can be for the postseason.
Losing Wilson certainly is a major blow to Team USA’s offense. However, they will still be the favorites to retain their crown.
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen report for USA duty, replacing A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum 🫡 #FIBAWWC pic.twitter.com/5ir5wjnj9E
— FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWWC) August 31, 2026
Iriafen, her replacement, is averaging 15.3 points per game on over 50% shooting from the field, all while grabbing 9.4 rebounds. While she will have to learn to play in a system with other All-Star talent, she’s proven herself to be a bucket-getter.
Team USA has an abundance of talent when it comes to stars who can indulge in late-game heroics, and Iriafen is a welcome addition to that treasure trove of players.
Team USA plays its first game in Group D against China on Friday, September 4 at 8:15 AM ET.
