A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum withdraw from Team USA's World Cup roster before Berlin opener

A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will miss the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup for health reasons. Washington Mystics teammates Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron are named as their replacements. Plum is sidelined for the remainder of the WNBA season with a lower-leg injury, while Wilson’s withdrawal is described as workload- and fatigue-related despite ongoing high-level play. The two Mystics youngsters will make their World Cup debuts, joining a roster that remains poised to defend the United States’ World Cup success. Team USA opens the tournament against China in Berlin, heightening the impact of the roster shake-up on a team long viewed as the favorite. Plum’s injury ends her Mercury season, and Wilson’s schedule adjustments aid the Aces’ playoff push, underscoring the ongoing youth movement with Clark, Reese, and Bueckers alongside the newcomers.