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Caitlin Clark has been one of USA Basketball's standout players at FIBA Women's World Cup qualifying in Puerto Rico. But she is not a shoo-in for the fan-voted MVP of the Qualifying Tournament.
In her first four games for the national team, Clark has averaged 12.8 points and 6.3 assists, dazzling fans in San Juan with her passing ability and long-range shooting. Clark's performances for the unbeaten US team have been especially noteworthy amid her lengthy injury-related absence; the Indiana Fever superstar had not played competitively since July.
Even still, Clark is far from the only star on Team USA. The field's most loaded roster also features fellow debutant Paige Bueckers, who is Clark's chief competitor for MVP honors, due to be announced after the US plays Spain on Tuesday in their final group game.
Clark, Bueckers are neck and neck
Bueckers, who succeeded Clark as the WNBA's Rookie of the Year in 2025, may well get the nod from fans in tournament MVP voting too.
As of Monday afternoon, Bueckers leads Clark by around 6,000 votes.
Bueckers -- who, with Clark and Angel Reese, represents the future of the national team -- has averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in four qualifying games, all of which the United States has won by at least 30 points.
— FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWWC) March 13, 2026Since playing only 14 minutes in her debut against Senegal, Bueckers has played 20 or more in the three games since, demonstrating her value as an on-ball creator and as an off-ball weapon -- sometimes in the same backcourt as Clark.
The MVP vote is likely to come down to whichever star guard performs better against Spain. Nothing is decided just yet.
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