Women’s Basketball Stars to Gather at the U.S. National Team Camp
The world of women’s basketball is preparing for a momentous event. Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, and JuJu Watkins, along with other prominent figures, will make their debut at the U.S. national basketball team camp next month. This prestigious event will take place at Duke University from December 12th to 14th.
The camp will bring together a group of 18 talented players, including Olympic veterans and World Cup gold medalists such as Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Kahleah Copper. Dearica Hamby, an Olympic medalist in the 3×3 modality, will also participate.
Brionna Jones, a member of the 2022 World Cup team, has also been called up for the camp, as has Aliyah Boston, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 WNBA draft.
Cameron Brink, Lauren Betts, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Rickea Jackson, and Veronica Burton complete the list of players who will debut at the national team camp.
Clark, Bueckers, Watkins, Brink, Betts, Boston, and Citron have already won gold medals with USA Basketball in youth competitions. Betts, Boston, Reese, Burton, and Jackson were part of Team USA in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Iriafen will debut in this event with USA Basketball.
Watkins, USC star and national player of the year last season, will not participate on the court due to her recovery from a knee injury, but will have the opportunity to integrate into the women’s national team program during the camp.
This camp will serve as an evaluation opportunity for the new general manager of the U.S. women’s national team, Sue Bird, who will be tasked with selecting the team for the FIBA World Cup in September 2026. In this tournament, the United States will seek its fifth consecutive gold.
The camp will be led by the new national team head coach, Kara Lawson, currently a coach at Duke, with WNBA coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts, and Stephanie White as court coaches.
