USA Basketball took a bold step, adding several young stars to the senior national side roster, which also hinted at a major shake-up in the future of the bigger events. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are now part of the senior side that dominated the world stage with multiple championships and medals.
On WNBA courts, young stars are looking to make their mark, with many rivalries forming due to their competitive nature. But teaming up for Team USA, Paige Bueckers cleared the air about such rivalries, showing a positive attitude towards the team’s success. Amid this, the rookies are also getting inspiration from their seniors, as Clark recently named her favorite Olympic stars from basketball.
Caitlin Clark Picks Her Favorite Olympic Basketball Players
The Indiana Fever guard has been an inspiration for many hoopers, and recently she opened up about the players who shaped her love for the game. While there are multiple stars who made their name with their performances on the world stage, CC picked Maya Moore, Sue Bird, and Diana Taurasi as the three athletes who stood out to her.
Answering the question, Clark said, “I remember as a kid, my eyes were just so wide. I thought that was the coolest thing in the world.”
Remembering watching the jerseys of iconic stars hung in the room, she added, “There’s a reason they’re here. There’s a reason they’ve won gold medals. So just try to soak in their knowledge and follow their lead the best I can.”
I asked Caitlin Clark who her favorite Olympic basketball players were growing up: "My favorite Olympians growing up definitely Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi." 🎥 : @usabasketball pic.twitter.com/eK8nZ58dWT
— LoJo Media (@LoJoMedia) March 7, 2026
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Moore won gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Clark already named Moore as her ultimate hero growing up. Sue Bird also collected five Olympic gold medals. Taurasi stands apart in terms of Olympic hardware, having won six consecutive gold medals with Team USA at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024.
As for the 2024 rookie, she will be playing in he first senior-level competition and already feeling a bit nervous about the debut.
Caitlin Clark Talks About Nervousness Ahead Of Her Senior-Level Debut
The former Iowa star suffered a season-ending injury and hasn’t played in a competitive environment since July 2025. While the player spoke about her fitness, she is still ‘a bit nervous’ to take the court.
Speaking to reporters at USA Basketball camp in Miami, Clark admitted that returning after such a long absence may come with an unfamiliar feeling, as she said, “I think it’ll probably take me a second to knock a little bit of the rust off. I’ll probably be a little bit nervous, which I usually don’t get nervous, but that probably comes from I haven’t really played basketball in a while.”
"I'll probably be a little bit nervous, which I usually don't get nervous. But that probably just will come from – I haven't really played basketball in a while"
— Andrew Chernoff – WISH-TV (@ADChernoff) March 7, 2026
Caitlin Clark is looking forward to playing in the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament next week. @WISHNews8 pic.twitter.com/RpODJztY9p
CC has an illustrious international career and won two U-19 World Cups and the FIBA Americas U-16 Championship with an MVP Award in the 2021 U-19 World Cup.