After a stunning 5-0 record in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, many would have considered the winning side as the final Team USA for the competition. But USA Basketball surprised many with its third training camp ahead of the 2026 season and a new 15-member roster. Interestingly, the list involves JuJu Watkins and Napheesa Collier, who are not active on the court.
College superstar Watkins opens up on slow-but-sure injury comeback and USA Basketball camp insights as she remained on the sidelines during the NCAA competition. But Team USA has another plan for the injured stars.
Napheesa Collier And JuJu Watkins’ Involvement At Team USA Training Camp
A’ja Wilson leads the 15-member list of players called for Team USA’s April training camp, as it involves a few new players, too. While the training camp will run from April 1 to 3 in preparation for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, the Lynx forward and USC’s guard won’t be fit by then.
Yet adding them is a strategic move by the USA Basketball, as an ESPN reporter shared a post and wrote, “Napheesa Collier will not participate in on-court activities as she recovers from injury. JuJu Watkins will be a limited participant.”
Napheesa Collier will not participate in on-court activities as she recovers from injury.
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) March 31, 2026
JuJu Watkins will be a limited participant. https://t.co/4KaFICTC87
Collier and Watkins are still recovering from an ankle injury and an ACL injury, respectively. Yet their addition provides the team a backup for the roster, with players understanding each other’s games and developing chemistry with teammates. Collier had been part of Tam USA and won many medals,
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The main event will be in Berlin in September, making it possible for the player to take part in the competition. As for Watkins, she is close to her return, while the news for the Lynx forward is not very encouraging.
Napheesa Collier To Miss Start Of 2026 WNBA Season
The former UConn star missed the Unrivaled season due to surgery on both of her ankles. Yet recently, she was at Hopkins’ camp, and the pictures raised concerns over her recovery.
The standard timeline for her recovery is four to six months, which marks July as a probable date to see Phee in action, threatening her availability for the start of Minnesota’s season.
Lynx’s draft plans will have a huge impact on the following after her lengthy absence. She has been the MVP runner-up each of the last two seasons and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. Collier averaged a career-high 22.9 points per game in 2025 and will be hard to replace in the 2026 season.