So, Paige Becker’s debut, man, it wasn’t that good. Not going to lie. Not that good for each other. And that’s our connection. And um we’re so connected that way. And um that doesn’t mean it’s great all the time. We have hard conversations. We have tears. We have disagreements. That’s actually normal in a relationship, isn’t it? Like, it’s normal to have disagreements. It’s normal to be frustrated with each other. It’s normal like that’s a part of it. Conflict’s a part of it and so we work through it together and we’re willing to sit in.

Caitlyn Clark just walked back into Team USA camp after 5 months away from basketball and what happened next has everyone talking. After an injury-plagued season that had people questioning if she’d ever be the same, Clark showed up and reminded the entire world why she’s special. And somewhere in all this chaos, Paige Bookers just became a footnote in Clark’s comeback story.

Before we get into this absolute clinic Clark just put on, let me ask you, who do you think should make the final Team USA roster for 2026? Drop your predictions in the comments because after what we just witnessed, some people’s expectations are about to get shattered. Coach Carl Lawson said something after watching Caitlyn Clark’s first practice back with Team USA. That sounds pretty simple. She looked good on both ends. But if you think that’s all there is to this story, you haven’t been paying attention.

Clark didn’t just look good. She completely dominated every single person at that camp, including people who thought they were walking in as legitimate competition for roster spots. Sue Bird, the managing director of USA Basketball, watched Clark push tempos, drain three-pointers from absurd distances, and create chemistry with Alia Boston that screamed, “These two are starting together, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

After a season where injuries kept piling up and keeping her off the court, Clark just proved she’s back to 100% and ready to lead team USA to gold in 2026. And here’s the thing nobody’s really talking about loudly enough. Clark didn’t just come back healthy. She came back better, more focused, more determined, and absolutely ruthless in showing everyone that her second season’s injury problems were just a temporary setback, not a career-defining moment.

Clark is going against Paige and Dane ESPN today. When they were talking about Paige, one of them says, “I think Paige will be a good player this year, but I’m not expecting a Caitlyn like impact and that’s an unfair bar to set.” Dallas Wings using the promo poster of Paige.

Let’s rewind for a second because the context matters. During her first year in the WNBA, Clark broke 62 records. 62. She recorded triple doubles, hit shots from half court that had defenders questioning their life choices and basically turned the entire league upside down with her incredible play.

Then her second season happened and everything went sideways. One injury led to another, then another, then another. Clark described the nightmare perfectly when she said, “I think the challenge for myself was just it was one and then it’s like a little better, but then it continued to compound and get worse and other things pop up.” The woman who had rewritten the record books could barely stay on the court. She managed just 13 games the entire season. 13 games after breaking 62 records in her first year, the basketball world started whispering.

Could she come back from this? Would the injuries keep stacking up? Was her historic rookie campaign just a one-time thing? Clark hadn’t played competitive basketball in nearly 5 months when she walked into Team USA camp, five whole months away from the game that made her famous.

Every single point being scored or assisted by Caitlyn Clark in a 4 and a half minute spell to go from down five to up 13 like that. Well, basically it was down 15 to up 10 against Phoenix Mercury last year where every single basket other than one was either scored or assisted by Caitlyn Clark in what was the craziest game of her career. Where it’s funny if you look back on that game she had I think she had 14-15 points and 13 assists and on four of 15 shooting and people were just like oh this was a terrible game.

The stakes were absolutely massive. This wasn’t just any practice session. This was her audition for the 2026 World Cup team and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Every coach, every analyst, every camera was focused on her first touches. Could she still move like the player who broke all those records? Would the rust show after such a long time away?

Clark admitted she felt nervous walking into camp. “I feel like when I touched the basketball to start warming up before the practice even started, that’s when I felt pretty comfortable,” she revealed later. But comfortable doesn’t even begin to describe what happened next. Clark declared herself 100% healthy and then proceeded to prove it on the court in the most emphatic way possible.

Her shots fell with that familiar swish sound. Her passes found their targets like she had GPS tracking on every teammate. Her court vision looked sharper than ever, maybe even better than before the injuries. She pushed tempo like the Clark everyone remembered, creating fast break opportunities and finding teammates in perfect position. The woman who averaged 16.5 points and 8.8 assists in those 13 healthy games looked completely locked in.

Coach Cara Lawson watched Clark work and couldn’t hide her amazement. One analyst pointed out something crucial. Her speed seems to be back. And that’s not just important, that’s everything. Speed was one of the things Clark never fully recovered during her second season because of that quad injury in preseason. But at Team USA camp, she was turning corners on dribble handoffs like she had rocket boosters attached. She was getting downhill with intent and purpose that had defenders scrambling.

There was this one play during day two that perfectly encapsulated what makes Clark special. She gets a dribble handoff from Aaliyah Boston, turns the corner with ridiculous speed and delivers a perfect pass to Jackie Young, cutting to the basket. Young missed the layup, that happens, but the pass itself was pure artistry. Clark’s joy was obvious to everyone watching. “My main goal for today was just smile and have fun,” she said. And that smile never left her face during practice. She had her game back, her health back, her confidence back. The entire dynamic at Team USA camp shifted the moment Clark proved she was truly healthy again.

The player needs it. That’s another level of facilitating. That’s why we say, man, Caitlyn Clark is the top guard, man. All right, y’all start the conversation in the chat. But I’m just saying Chelsea Grave is a very entertaining passer. All right, very entertaining. Sometimes her flashiness kind of make her throw the ball away and things of that nature, but Kaitlin Clark knows how to get that thing in tough spots. All right. Get it in tough spots and get her teammates open. Get it to where the teammate can catch the ball and just pull it in a comfortable style. All that is a part of facilitating, man.

All right. So, now let’s talk about what really has people buzzing. The chemistry between Clark and Aaliyah Boston. There was this moment during practice that made Sue Bird and the entire coaching staff realize they were watching something special. Clark found Boston cutting to the basket with a pass that seemed to defy physics. The ball arrived exactly where Boston needed it, precisely when she needed it. Boston smiled as she finished the play. Clark grinned right back. The two Indiana Fever teammates had just shown Team USA exactly what elite chemistry looks like.

Here’s the thing about building team chemistry. It usually takes weeks or months in camp settings. Players need time to learn each other’s tendencies, timing, and preferred spots on the court. Most guards struggle to find big men in traffic or deliver passes at the right speed. But Clark and Boston already knew each other’s games inside and out. They’d spent an entire season together with the Fever, learning how to read each other’s movements and create scoring opportunity. Their connection became obvious to coaches within minutes.

Clark would grab a defensive rebound and immediately push tempo, scanning the court for Boston, sprinting down the floor. Boston would establish position in the post and Clark would thread passes through defenders that other guards couldn’t even see. The timing was perfect. The execution was flawless. Boston knew exactly where Clark’s passes would arrive, and Clark knew exactly where Boston wanted the ball.

One analyst broke it down perfectly. Caitlyn knows when to do this, when not to do this. That’s what makes her special. And here’s what really separates Clark from other guards. Even when her shot isn’t falling, defenses still have to respect. They can’t just leave her open because she missed a few shots. That gravity she holds opens up the entire defense. When she grabs a rebound and pushes the floor with that tempo, defenses are scrambling. Suddenly, there’s a wide open Aaliyah Boston in the corner because everyone’s worried about Clark’s three-point range.

That all the players play well, but France are just a little bit better in the World Cup. I’m not going to hate watch Team USA, but I do hope that the other teams are playing are just better. Um, but yeah, it’s a it’s one of those things where it’s like if you are actually supporting Team USA, you would hope the two of them play together because the two of Paige and Caitlyn play together because that’s what going to help them win.

And is Caitlyn going to be the best player at this camp? If Caitlin’s the best player at this camp, there’s something seriously wrong with the level of women’s basketball. Like, if a player who has basically been injured for a year shows up and is the best player at their first training camp, because let’s be real, you’re not going to if a player’s it takes players weeks, if not months.

The tempo changes were even more impressive. Clark grabbed rebounds and immediately pushed the pace, creating fast break opportunities before defenses could set up. Boston ran the floor hard, knowing Clark would reward her effort with easy baskets. Other players started following their lead, sprinting down court because they knew Clark would find them if they got open. Clark’s playmaking elevated everyone’s performance, not just Boston’s. She found Jackie Young cutting for a layup that had the coaching staff nodding in approval. The pass arrived perfectly in stride, allowing Young to finish without breaking momentum.

Clark and Young showed the same seamless backcourt connection that could anchor Team USA’s starting lineup for years. One analyst predicted exactly what we’re all thinking. I expect to see them really playing well off of each other in a Team USA uniform over the next several years. Jackie Young knows how to do almost everything out on the court and she would just thrive playing alongside Caitlyn Clark.

The positive energy between Clark and Boston was infectious. They smiled throughout practice, clearly enjoying playing together again. Their comfort level translated to confidence, and their confidence spread to teammates around them. Other players started making harder cuts and setting better screens because they trusted Clark to reward good movement with accurate passes.

Sue Bird and the coaching staff watched this chemistry unfold with growing excitement. Most point guards need time to develop these connection. Clark already had them built with Boston and was quickly forming new ones with players like Young. The choice for starting point guard became obvious as practice continued. While everyone talked about a battle for roster spots, the coaches were watching one player separate herself from the pack.

Oh, most of us want adversity to go really quickly. Like, okay, it’ll be tough for a half a day and then we’re done. And this has been tough for longer for us. Good. Like, good. Because this is what this is what life is about. Like you don’t get to control the length of your adversity. All you get to do is control your attitude and your focus and just work work like heck to try and change it.

And the narrative heading into camp was simple. Multiple players would compete for limited spots on the 2026 World Cup roster. The competition was supposed to be fierce. Everyone expected close battles and difficult decisions for the coaching staff.

Angel Ree made it clear how much making the team meant to everyone there. Everybody wants to make the team. It’s an honor to be even in this camp. They didn’t just select us for no reason. They handpicked us because they thought we would bring something to the table. She said the pressure was real. Each player knew their spot wasn’t guaranteed.

Clark understood the stakes perfectly. “You all want to win. You’re all fighting for a spot,” she admitted. But her approach on day two made that fight look completely one-sided. Analysts described Clark as on fire during practice, and that assessment captured exactly what happened. Her knockdown threes fell consistently. Her elite vision created scoring opportunities other players couldn’t see. Her decision-making looked flawless under pressure.

The specific skills that separated Clark became obvious quickly. She drained three-pointers from NBA range with defenders closing out hard. Her court vision allowed her to thread passes through traffic that had teammates scoring easy baskets. Every possession, Clark made the right choice. Pass or shoot, fast break or set an offense. She read the game perfectly.

Other players focused on individual performances, trying to showcase their own abilities. Clark took the opposite approach. She made everyone around her look better. When teammates made good cuts, Clark rewarded them with perfect passes. When they set solid screens, Clark found ways to get them involved in the offense. Her team first mentality stood out in a setting where most players needed to prove themselves.

Clark’s leadership qualities emerged naturally during practice sessions. She communicated constantly with teammates, calling out screens and directing traffic. Players started following her lead on tempo changes in defensive rotations. The younger players gravitated toward Clark’s energy and basketball IQ.

Sue Bird watched Clark’s performance with obvious satisfaction. “She looked great,” Bird said about Clark’s return to form. “The managing director’s praise carried significant weight.” Bird noted that Clark’s rhythm was back after months away from competitive basketball. “When Bird says a player looks great,” coaches listen.

The coaching staff’s reactions revealed their clear preference. They smiled when Clark made plays. They nodded when she made smart decisions. Their body language showed they’d found their starting point guard.

Clark stated, “It feels nice to finally be back to 100%.” And her performance backed up that claim completely. So, where does this leave someone like Paige Bookers? Well, Bookers wasn’t even at this camp, but Clark’s performance essentially answered any questions about who’s leading this next generation of USA basketball. Bookers is still dealing with her own injury history and trying to establish herself. Clark just walked in after 5 months off and reminded everyone there are levels to this game.

The proposed starting lineup coming out of camp has people excited. Caitlyn Clark at point guard, Jackie Young at shooting guard, Kalia Copper at small forward, Derkica Hamby at power forward, and Aaliyah Boston at center. That’s a lineup that can compete with anyone in the world, and it’s built around Clark’s ability to make everyone better.

Angel Reese’s situation became more complicated as camp progressed. One analyst put it bluntly, “Angel Ree can be an asset and a value. Rebounding, being tenacious on this team, and being just a role player, which is what she should be. She’s not a star go-to player, rebound, and that’s it. That’s harsh.” But Reese’s playing style doesn’t mesh well with Clark’s tempo-focused approach. The coaching staff seemed less impressed with Reese’s individual performances compared to Clark’s team first mentality. Ree appeared frustrated watching Clark dominate practices while her own opportunities decreed.

Clark’s chemistry with players like Boston and Cameron Brink highlighted natural connections that others couldn’t replicate. Her chances of locking down not just a roster spot, but the starting point guard position looked absolutely certain.

Coach Cara Lawson summed it up perfectly. She looked good on both ends of the court and hadn’t missed a beat. The head coach highlighted Clark’s focus and readiness despite time away from competitive play. These comments signaled Clark’s locked in status for the TW.

So, there it is. Caitlyn Clark returned to Team USA after 5 months away and reminded everyone why she’s the future of basketball. Paige Bookers and everyone else fighting for roster spots just got a harsh reality check about who’s running this show. If this breakdown got you hyped, smash that like button and subscribe because we’re covering every moment of this journey.