WNBA expert raises concerns about ‘problematic’ Team USA amid France threat
Team USA will have to fix one major problem with their roster or France will beat them at the FIBA World Cup.
Team USA are heading into the knockout stages of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on the heels of three wins in the group stages.
Despite that flawless record, many believe that France are the actual favorites to win the gold medal over Team USA.
But what is the reason behind that? Well, one sports expert recently explained that ahead of the quarterfinal clash against Hungary.
Robin Lundberg is not a fan of Team USA’s current starting lineup
Team USA head coach Kara Lawson has a clear strategy during the FIBA World Cup. It’s to start with veterans while bringing in young stars off the bench.
So far, the strategy has more or less worked, but Sports Illustrated’s Robin Lundberg is worried it won’t be enough to beat France for the potential gold medal game in the tournament.
“That’s the team [France] where the US is going to have to play the right lineups. I still am not a fan of the starters. Jackie Young has played well, but I don’t like Jackie Young’s fit with the other group,” Lundberg said.
He added, “Chelsea Grey and Kahleah Copper are problematic in the starting lineup. To me, I don’t need to see that every single game anymore. But we’ll see.
“Who closes games is going to matter more, but the US is going to have to get off to good starts against France if they do see them in the gold medal game.”
The likes of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers have been the stars for Team USA during the tournament.
However, all three are coming off the bench and being given limited minutes. This has caused problems for the team; for instance, in the game against Italy, where Team USA registered a tough three-point win.
If Lawson and co. make similar mistakes against a team of France’s caliber, they will be heavily punished, and it could even force them to settle for a silver medal for the first time in 16 years.
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