Caitlin Clark Gets Left Out As Cindy Brunson Praises Team USA Stars | NBA

Caitlin Clark’s Team USA run ended with gold, but her name was missing from Cindy Brunson’s list of players who stood out. The omission quickly caught the attention of Clark fans. Brunson praised Aaliyah Boston, Napheesa Collier and Angel Reese while discussing the Americans’ fifth straight FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup title on the Her Hoop Stats Podcast.

Cindy Brunson Leaves Caitlin Clark Out While Praising Team USA

Brunson spoke about Team USA’s gold-medal run on the latest episode of the Her Hoop Stats Podcast with Helen Williams. While sharing her final thoughts on the tournament, the former ESPN anchor highlighted Collier, Boston and Reese for their work during the six-game campaign.

“The contributions from Phee and Aaliyah Boston, Collier, and the efficient and effective play of Angel Reese… First time big stage, sometimes folks shrink in the light and she loved the light and she was the moth to the light,” Brunson said. Her praise for Reese focused on how she handled her first major senior international tournament.

Clark was not mentioned, despite playing a clear role during the tournament. She averaged 7.8 points and 5.3 assists across six games and finished with 32 total assists, the most on Team USA. FIBA also highlighted her playmaking after the Americans won gold against France.

Caitlin Clark’s Team USA Numbers Add Another Layer

Clark started the World Cup as part of Team USA’s second unit, but her passing remained a major part of the offense. Her 32 assists were the tournament’s highest total, and seven of those assists went to Angel Reese during their time together on the court.

The omission also stood out because Brunson did not mention several other important Team USA players, including Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. So, while fans focused heavily on Clark’s absence, Brunson’s comments were a short list of players she wanted to praise rather than a complete ranking of the roster.

There was another major name missing from that discussion too. Breanna Stewart was named the 2026 World Cup MVP after averaging 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, then scoring 22 points with 10 rebounds in the final against France. She became the first player to win the award twice.