Ever since the start of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup qualifiers, fans had been waiting to see Caitlin Clark in the starting lineup for Team USA, and now, the moment has finally arrived.

It all came up during the 15th March game versus New Zealand when CC made her first start for Team USA. She made the start along with Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, Chelsea Gray, and Monique Billings.

Well, her move into the starting lineup had been highly anticipated. Despite strong performances, she had come off the bench in the previous games. However, an X update from USA Basketball let fans know before the New Zealand match that things would be different this time.

Clark has been impressive throughout the tournament. The Indiana Fever guard is averaging 14.7 points per game, and the match against New Zealand was no different. 

It didn’t take long for her to prove why fans had been calling for her to start. Early in the game, she drained a deep three-pointer to score her first points of the night.

Clark's performance certainly pleased fans, but so did the news of her inclusion in Team USA's starting lineup. It also garnered a plethora of reactions from them. 

Fans React to Caitlin Clark’s Debut Start For Team USA

While lots of fans were excited to watch Clark in Team USA's starting lineup against New Zealand, one of them expressed it, writing, “Yeah, baby! In the groove. Bury them deep,” in the comments section of USA Basketball's X update.

Another one predicted a rough outing for the Kiwis, stating, “Bad news for New Zealand.” One more voiced similar sentiments, but with different words. The comment read, "Go on, girls, victory is assured!"

Well, Team USA’s young core has looked nearly unstoppable so far. The team has been winning by large margins, and the first half against New Zealand suggested another dominant performance.

Still, not every fan agreed with the lineup choice, as one mentioned, “Why is Paige x Reese not starting? Terrible lineup.”

Another user expressed similar thoughts with more technicality, stating, "This is a terrible lineup. Why start 3 point guards????" No doubt, fans are eager to see their favorite players share the floor, but for now, the coaching staff appears focused on experimenting with different combinations to build chemistry.

Whether that changes in the next game remains to be seen. Still, what do you think? Will Kara Lawson enlist this demand?

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Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy