Furious basketball fans have accused Team USA of marginalizing Caitlin Clark after the WNBA star played just 16 minutes in the United States' 76-66 win over Spain on Saturday, a victory that sent the Americans into the FIBA Women's World Cup final in Berlin.
Clark came off the bench and finished with a single point, spending long stretches of the semifinal watching from the sideline as her role in head coach Kara Lawson's rotation shrank further.
The limited playing time set off a wave of criticism on social media, with fans and commentators claiming Clark is being deliberately frozen out by Lawson and her veteran teammates.
WNBA analyst Jaime Lardis wrote on X that "today's game is clear evidence that there's an agenda being pushed with Caitlin Clark." Lardis continued, "Why the hell is she barely playing? She's been one of the best players on this team. At this point, it feels like they're doing everything they can to limit her impact and make her look bad."
Sports commentator Skip Bayless offered a similar assessment, writing, "Team USA's 10-point win over Spain was closer than it needed to be. That's because Caitlin Clark, the WNBA's best player, should start, orchestrate and be featured more." Bayless added, "But of course, Kara Lawson can't risk a mutiny of veterans. This is all so petty, so dumb, so hard to watch."
A costly possession
The backlash was fuelled by viral clips from the semifinal showing Clark left open beyond the three-point line only to be bypassed by teammates. In one sequence during the third quarter, with the United States leading by four points, Jackie Young used a screen from Aliyah Boston at the top of the key against Spain's zone defense.
Clark's defender sagged off, leaving her completely unguarded beyond the arc, but Young drove into traffic instead and kicked the ball to Breanna Stewart. Clark was shown throwing her hands up in frustration as the possession broke down.
Clark, who was the WNBA's Rookie of the Year in 2024 after a record-breaking college career at the University of Iowa, has become one of the sport's biggest draws for her long-range shooting and passing with the Indiana Fever. Lawson, the Team USA head coach, also serves as head coach of Duke University's women's basketball program.
Clark's declining minutes
The frustration comes amid a steady decline in Clark's court time over the course of the World Cup. She logged 25 minutes in the tournament opener against China, before dropping to 19 minutes against Italy, 22 against Czechia, 20 against Hungary and just 16 against Spain in the semifinal.
Lawson has defended her rotation throughout the tournament, praising her starting lineup's ability to generate early momentum and saying ahead of the knockout rounds that she was satisfied with how the squad was being used positionally.
Clark's individual form has also fluctuated during the competition. She managed just one point on 0-for-6 shooting against Italy, before recovering with nine points against Czechia and 10 against Hungary.
What comes next
Team USA will now turn its attention to Sunday's gold medal game, where the team is chasing a fifth consecutive FIBA Women's World Cup title.
