Team USA Women’s basketball team will be in action for the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, and new coach Kara Lawson took a bold step, calling in 10 new players for the training camp.
With that, Veronica Burton earned a spot at the USA Basketball senior camp along with Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Sonia Citron.
Although every player proved her worth in the WNBA 2025 season, the big question arises about the starting lineup for the team, where most of the new stars are playing at the guard position.
UConn coach has a solution and puts his ‘favorite child’, PB, at the number 1 position. But Caitlin Clark fans didn’t like it at all, as they reacted to the post sharing the news.
Fans React To Geno Auriemma’s Choice Of Paige Bueckers Over Caitlin Clark
Team USA is by far the most successful in international women’s basketball, with nine of the last 12 World Cups, including four recent titles. With the rich history of the team, everyone wants to be part of Team USA, and this time, new coach Kara Lawson showed trust in the young players, with 10 out of 18 players first-time joining the senior camp.
Interestingly, the guard position is stacked, and there were questions about the starting guard in the competition. Coach Geno Auriemma answered the question and put Paige Bueckers at the playmaker position, comparing her with Team USA’s successful PG – Sue Bird, who won four gold medals with the side.
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Geno on if he thinks Bueckers will be Sue Bird's successor at point guard for Team USA after being invited to USA training camp, via Dallas Hoops. pic.twitter.com/P1xKGdRFPq
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) November 30, 2025
The comparison might be correct for Auriemma, but fans didn’t like putting the Wings’ guard at the number 1 position and reacted to the selection.
A fan said, “If Paige wants to play point guard for team USA, barring injuries, she will be doing so off the bench.”
If Paige wants to play point guard for team USA, barring injuries, she will be doing so off the bench. This isn't even a debate
— A-Aron | Child of The 🌽 (@doubleAWilson) December 1, 2025
One fan wrote, “I don’t think so.”
I don’t think so ………. She can play the #2 tho …….
— ev riley (@evriley) December 1, 2025
Another fan pointed out the position difference and wrote, “PB is not PG.”
PB is not a PG
— 🅰️ IYKYK (@Puffery69) December 1, 2025
One fan reacted angrily and said, “Sick and tired of this dumb coach trying to ruin everything by making it all about uconn.”
Sick and tired of this dumb coach trying to ruin everything by making it all about uconn. Hate them all.
— phoenix (@phoenix201814) December 1, 2025
A fan pointed out some stats and said, “wanna be pg for usa but has never led in assists.”
wanna be pg for usa but has never led in assists pic.twitter.com/5DWqrimxvA
— liya – im 13 (@liyawhis) December 1, 2025
However, it is essential to note that Paige Bueckers started the U-19 team, while the Fever guard came off the bench. While the 2024 rookie won the MVP award in the 2021 edition of the Jr. World Cup, Bueckers has yet to win an individual accolade at the international level.
But the pattern and selection by the UConn coach is understandable considering the player’s impact in the 2025 season and, more importantly, winning the NCAA title for the coach.
Geno Auriemma Choosing Paige Bueckers Over Caitlin Clark Is Not New
While Auriemma sees maturity and awareness as essential factors for leading the national team, he has consistently sided with UConn stars on the international level and in the WNBA. Recently, Geno Auriemma remained calm despite Breanna Stewart’s rocky New York Liberty Season and labelled her “one of the great things in the city”.
Similarly, he chose Bueckers over CC during college recruitment, which led to Clark joining the Iowa program. Even though Clark matched and even surpassed Paige Bueckers’ individual achievements in head-to-head matchups, Auriemma consistently ranked PB over the Iowa playmaker.
For Team USA, Geno Auriemma said, “Being self-aware, knowing who you are, what you are, and knowing you might have a different role than you have on your regular team. I think all of those things are things that she’s (Paige) very familiar with. So, not a lot that I can give.”
While there are multiple veteran guard options like Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and Kelsey Plum for the starting point guard position, the PB or CC question might arise in the coming years, and then the national team coach might have to make a ‘crucial’ decision.