Photo Credit: Associated PressTeam USA will be without forward Aliyah Boston and guard Sonia Citron for the upcoming World Cup qualifying tournament after both players suffered injuries while competing in Unrivaled. The two were late withdrawals from the roster and will not travel to Miami for the team’s training camp. They will also miss the trip to Puerto Rico, where the qualifying tournament will take place. In response, Team USA added forward Monique Billings and guard Rae Burrell to the squad as replacements.
Boston had been set to make her second appearance with the senior national team. She was previously the youngest player on the roster during the 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament held in Belgium. Citron, meanwhile, had been preparing for her first appearance with the senior
squad. With the changes, both Billings and Burrell are now expected to make their senior team debuts.
The U.S. frontcourt will feature even less experience than originally planned. Star players such as four time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and two time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart were not included on the qualifying roster. Stewart is still expected to attend the training camp in Miami. Another key player, Napheesa Collier, remains sidelined after undergoing surgery on both ankles in January following an injury sustained during the 2025 WNBA Finals.
Following the roster adjustments, six players on the squad are now set to make their senior national team debuts in five on five competition. Among them are high profile stars Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.
Team USA will begin preparations with a training camp in Miami before traveling to Puerto Rico for the tournament. The Americans will open their campaign on March 11 against Senegal. They are also scheduled to face Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand and Spain during the competition.
Although the United States has already secured a place at the World Cup scheduled for September in Berlin, participation in the qualifying tournament was still required.
The event will also mark the debut of Kara Lawson as head coach of the senior national team. USA Basketball appointed Lawson to lead the program through the 2028 Olympic cycle in September 2025.
Lawson has a long history with the national team. She won Olympic gold as a player in 2008 and later coached the U.S. 3x3 team to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She has also coached several youth national teams and has served as an assistant coach for the senior squad since 2022, including during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Boston had been set to make her second appearance with the senior national team. She was previously the youngest player on the roster during the 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament held in Belgium. Citron, meanwhile, had been preparing for her first appearance with the senior
squad. With the changes, both Billings and Burrell are now expected to make their senior team debuts.
The U.S. frontcourt will feature even less experience than originally planned. Star players such as four time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and two time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart were not included on the qualifying roster. Stewart is still expected to attend the training camp in Miami. Another key player, Napheesa Collier, remains sidelined after undergoing surgery on both ankles in January following an injury sustained during the 2025 WNBA Finals.
Following the roster adjustments, six players on the squad are now set to make their senior national team debuts in five on five competition. Among them are high profile stars Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.
Team USA will begin preparations with a training camp in Miami before traveling to Puerto Rico for the tournament. The Americans will open their campaign on March 11 against Senegal. They are also scheduled to face Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand and Spain during the competition.
Although the United States has already secured a place at the World Cup scheduled for September in Berlin, participation in the qualifying tournament was still required.
The event will also mark the debut of Kara Lawson as head coach of the senior national team. USA Basketball appointed Lawson to lead the program through the 2028 Olympic cycle in September 2025.
Lawson has a long history with the national team. She won Olympic gold as a player in 2008 and later coached the U.S. 3x3 team to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She has also coached several youth national teams and has served as an assistant coach for the senior squad since 2022, including during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
