Sue Bird recently compared JuJu Watkins’ invitation to the Team USA camp to Caitlin Clark’s situation with the Indiana Fever.
Watkins is one of the two NCAA athletes who were invited to the senior national team camp despite her injury. She contributed more than an observer, and was an active participant, giving her ACL the time and rest it needed to recover from the tear and the subsequent surgery.
Sue Bird Draws a Parallel Between Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins’ Injury
As the managing director of USA Women’s Basketball, Bird fielded questions about the camp that took place at Duke from December 12 to 14. When asked to explain JuJu Watkins’ inclusion in the camp despite her injury, Bird compared her current status to that of Caitlin Clark.
“I think it is more about the exposure. Honestly, it kind of segues nicely from the Caitlin Clark comment, which is that even when you’re just around a team, it’s helpful,” Bird said during the media scrum. “Something is building, something is happening there. I think it is great for JuJu, who is obviously, incredibly talented, still has a couple of years in college, and I know she wants to finish that off right. But to get her used to what the national team is, used to being around these players, and of course, used to being around the coaching staff.”
“Of course, wishing her the best in her recovery, all those good things. But you never know. People learn by osmosis a lot, and so, just to have her in the environment, like, why not?”
Bird was referring to Clark’s injury-riddled 2025 WNBA season, in which she played in only 13 games. After suffering a series of injuries in her left quad, left groin, and right groin, the final setback came in the form of an ankle injury during an August workout that forced her to sit out the rest of the season.
Watkins is going through a similar patch herself. She announced before the 2025-26 college basketball season started that she would have to sit it out due to the ACL tear sustained during the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
However, both Clark and Watkins were seen supporting their team enthusiastically from the bench, which is what Bird’s parallel reflects.
“I thought what was most impressive was the way she stayed engaged,” Bird said about Clark earlier in the interview. “You could see it, whether you’re watching them on TV or catching up on social media, you could see she was very engaged. I think that really shows her maturity.”
Duke’s women’s basketball head coach, Kara Lawson, is helming the Team USA camp. She shared her first experience of coaching Clark, and it was nothing but positive.
