Kara Lawson Was Asked If Caitlin Clark Will Start For Team USA

Kara Lawson leads Team USA into the World Cup quarterfinals tomorrow. But will Caitlin Clark crack the starting lineup for their biggest game yet?

by Tzvi Machlin

Sep 9, 2026

Duke Blue Devils head coach Kara Lawson.

After dominating the preliminary round of the FIBA World Cup, Team USA head coach Kara Lawson leads the team into the quarterfinals against Hungary tomorrow. But will Caitlin Clark finally crack the starting lineup for their biggest game yet?

The answer appears to be no.

Speaking to reporters in Germany, Lawson said that she’s satisfied with how the team has been performing under the current starting lineup and doesn’t plan on making a change.

“I think that our starting group’s done a pretty good job of getting us off to good starts, and rotationally from game to game we could change things, but I like where we are right now,” Lawson said.

Clark’s fans refuse to accept Lawson’s choice.

As you might expect, many fans of Clark were upset or downright furious that Lawson isn’t giving Clark the starting nod in the biggest games right now:

“I just can’t stand this type of leadership. Stubborn. For no reason. You have 2 league MVP candidates riding the bench. Please change this league before it dies,” one user on X declared.

“Your coach is fully committed to suppressing Caitlin Clark to the bitter end. CC has spent 65% of the last two games ON THE BENCH! Kara likes ‘where we are right now’ because Caitlin isn’t getting the limelight. Will none of you override this hater?” another wrote, tagging USA Basketball on X.

“Im disappointed in Kara. I thought she’d be basketball first. Best players play….” a third said.

“The best five players should start. Clark is clearly the best PG on the team.
Gray is not good enough. Simple as that.”

Granted, some of the complainers don’t seem to notice that Clark is currently playing in the FIBA World Cup and not the WNBA right now, but the argument probably wouldn’t change that much regardless.

Connecticut Sun guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (4) defends Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) as she looks to shoot during a game on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Fever defeated the Sun 111-91.

Team USA only had one hiccup in the World Cup so far – a narrow 55-52 win over Italy on Sunday. Other than that, they’ve been dominant, beating China by 33 and Czech Republic by 41.

Lawson had better hope that the team keeps winning because if they lose a narrow one while Clark is riding the pine, she’ll never hear the end of it.