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Wilson and Plum withdraw from USA FIBA World Cup; Citron and Iriafen called up

sportsAug 31, 202625404

USA Basketball announced Monday that A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will miss the FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin for health reasons and have been replaced on the 12-player roster by Washington Mystics teammates Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron. Wilson, described in the announcement as a four-time WNBA MVP and the most outstanding player of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2022 World Cup, is stepping away to rest after heavy minutes with the Las Vegas Aces ahead of the WNBA playoffs. Plum has been managing a persistent calf injury that has not fully healed this season. Iriafen was part of the U.S. team that won the World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico, while Citron, who attended U.S. camps this winter, will make her senior national team debut in Germany. The change increases the reliance on younger contributors as the U.S. integrates World Cup newcomers Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, Rhyne Howard and Aliyah Boston alongside veterans Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Kahleah Copper. The Americans open the World Cup against China on Friday, whose frontline includes Zhang Ziyu, Han Xu and Li Yueru. The United States has won every World Cup since taking bronze in 2006.

Alexa Philippou
@alexaphilippou.bsky.social

Breaking: Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson will no longer compete for Team USA at the upcoming FIBA Women's World Cup due to health reasons, USA Basketball announced. The Mystics' Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron have been named to the roster in their place.

744h ago
Quoting this
Boogie16

Whoa. No insult to the young Mystics but no A’ja is a big drop-off for Team USA. More pressure on everyone else. This WC will be very interesting.

Joseph Zucker8

USA Basketball really playing the politics game here by overlooking Sixth Player of the Year candidate Sophie Cunningham

NWSL Notes6

France was already going to be a big problem. Might be their year

Campbell4

I’m not gonna panic/crash out at all. Everything is fine.

trust me, i’m a therapist3

i know that’s right. let the youngins do it lol

Grant Lorrell2

On the one hand, I'll always support A'ja getting in some rest considering how much of the load she's had to carry this season. But on the other, that back issue is clearly more worrisome than I originally assumed. So now I'm going to be paranoid the rest of the season.

Sandy C2

A’ja new the stics were coming for the title and said aht aht. Let me take the two week test! 😂

Zach Hymanbergstein2

Smart for A’ja to rest her back, but a little surprised they didn’t take Kira instead of Kiki for another true 5. Although maybe it doesn’t matter with their game plan and switchability (and talent).

But Black Dynamite...2

I mean it's not the Olympics so it's cool.

Basketball Fan, of the Sixers and LeBron James lmao!2

What does Veronica Burton have to do to get on this team?!?!?

Maggie Hendricks
@maggiehendricks.bsky.social

A'ja Wilson has helped the US win two Olympic gold medals and two World Cups. She's played deep into the playoffs, including four Finals appearances, since 2019. And still, when I report that she's not playing in this World Cup for health reasons, I have people in the mentions questioning it.

572h ago
Maggie Hendricks23

And I thought this was something most sports fans knew, but in case you didn't -- athletes often have injuries that never make the injury report. If it doesn't keep them from the game, it's not going to be reported.

Charles Bryan, Part-Time Cat Bed2

There are so many health reasons that aren't "injuries". I hope that she's better soon, whatever it might be, and I'm sure that she wishes that she could be there.

janemusgrave.bsky.social2

She was questionable for 2 games this week, including Friday. Just because she played doesn't mean she wasn't hurt...

[insert something witty]1

What is wrong with people?!

leftsideedweakness.bsky.social1

Anytime sports injuries and reporting come up I think of the NHL and laugh. Their designations are so vague and ridiculous “he hurt something on his body” is a legit description 😂 she’s not physically 100% and it’s yet another requirement outside of her profession, she’s done enough

Jenn Hatfield
@jennhatfield.bsky.social

Transitioning to point guard at any level is hard. But Sonia Citron has made it look easy in her minutes there for the Washington Mystics. For @theixsports.bsky.social, I talked with her and others about her approach and looked at the stats on how successful she’s been. #WNBA

33Yesterday
Shameka ❤️🏀
@shameka23.bsky.social

😰 Team USA just took a HUGE hit days before the World Cup. A’ja Wilson is out for health/rest reasons and Kelsey Plum is out with a leg injury. Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron will replace them. We’re still loaded with talent, but losing the reigning World Cup AND Olympic MVP sucks #FIBAWWC #WNBA

Kiki Iriafen poses in her red Washington Mystics jersey against a patriotic red, white and blue background with an American flag. A smaller action photo shows Kiki in a red USA Basketball No. 15 uniform dribbling a basketball. Large text reads “USA BASKETBALL ROSTER,” with “FIBA WORLD CUP 2026” on the right and the Mystics and USA Basketball logos at the bottom.
373h ago
withmorewit.bsky.social2

I don’t know if we “need” Aja but she’s the hardest to replace by far.

Subtle but blatant2

This is a definitely an advantage for France. I love my Mysties but uh yeah, they are not on KP and A'ja's levels YET. While they won't get time to rest I am hoping that playing against the big dogs on the international stage will give them some motor for playoffs.

Nathaniel Dorsey1

Alisha Gray not considered? One would question?

Magnus Lehnsherr
@i-magnus.bsky.social

Gabby Williams, Marine Johannes, and Pauline Astier have arrived in Berlin for FIBA 2026 World Cup. 🇫🇷 #WNBA

2819h ago
The IX Sports
@theixsports.bsky.social

Sonia Citron doesn't call herself a point guard. But as @jennhatfield.bsky.social reports, the Mystics star is running the point more often than ever — and thriving whenever she does: www.theixsports.com/the-ix-baske...

20Yesterday
Sean Highkin
@highkin.bsky.social

The Fire have temporarily suspended Carla Leite's contract so she can prepare to play for France in the FIBA World Cup. She won't be available tomorrow vs. Golden State, the last game before the break.

19Yesterday
Mitchell Hansen
@hansen13.bsky.social

With the FIBA World Cup Break officially here, here's an updated look at the WNBA standings with roughly a handful of games left in the regular season. Games will resume Sept. 17, with the regular season ending Sept. 24 and the WNBA Playoffs beginning Sept. 27.

1513h ago
Nanjala
@nanjala.bsky.social

One of my pet peeves is #wnba commentators erasing the accomplishments of international players. Even the Dream did this when they announced Rhy and Angel as “the only 2 players in the team going to FIBA”. The USA is not the only team playing in the World Cup and Atlanta has 4 players going.

1517h ago
No Cap Space WBB
@nocapspacewbb.com

A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will MISS the FIBA World Cup due to injury with Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron replacing them. How does this change the roster and lineups? What impact does it have on the WNBA season? @tylerdeluca.bsky.social breaks it down youtu.be/R6f7DEIfYX8

61h ago
Ballers News
@ballersnewz.bsky.social

Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga has been named to France’s FIBA Women’s World Cup roster. #WNBA #SeattleStorm

102d ago
Snap Wilson
@snapwilson.bsky.social

Thrilled for Sonia and Kki. I think Citron should be someone that Team USA should have marked as a regular contributor going forward. Also happy that A'ja is going to rest and recover for two weeks.

123h ago
Danielle H
@danielleceltics.bsky.social

Angel Reese's message going into the FIBA World Cup: "Go USA!"

919h ago
Cassidy Hettesheimer
@cassidyhett.bsky.social

Nice of the Dream to honor the Lynx’s yet-departed FIBA World Cup players pregame, alongside Atlanta’s players headed to Germany:

1321h ago
Mitchell Northam
@northam67.bsky.social

Story here on A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum missing the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup. They are replaced by the Washington Mystics' duo of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

51h ago
Quoting this
Rebecca Lowboy5

1) Sad. 2) YAY! #WNBA #FIBAWWC

strap-tap2

Good. But I hate I will miss Stew'ja hoops and whatever name we have for A'ja+Angel & A'ja+Paige

3 sources
thescore.comIriafen, Citron replace Wilson, Plum on FIBA World Cup | theScorehoopsrumors.comDeni Avdija Says Trail Blazers Wouldn't Let Him Participate In FIBA World Cup Qualifierssun-sentinel.comASK IRA: Has World Cup qualifying further opened Heat eyes to Pelle Larsson?

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