After missing 31 games during the 2025 season, Caitlin Clark made her return to the court.

As part of a two-day training camp, she spent her weekend at Cameron Indoor Stadium while vying for a spot on Team USA. While speaking to the media, Clark shared some of her thoughts about Sue Bird's role in the USA Team.

“I still think there are a lot of great vets here,” Clark said on December 14, 2025. “With Sue in the role she’s in, nobody understands USA Basketball any better. She’s won four or five gold medals and is one of the best to ever play the game.”

And yes, Sue Bird brings nearly two decades of experience wearing red, white, and blue. She recorded 124 assists, helped lead Team USA to 162 total wins, and carried the flag at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Clark sure does appreciate the experience Sue brings to the table as she stated, "I think it's fun just getting a lot of young talent in the gym, but also at the same time, learning from people who have won gold medals before, and that's what you need."

Sue Bird also won gold medals with Team USA, including five Olympic golds, earned over a 20-year international career.

That résumé makes Bird the most decorated FIBA athlete in history, male or female. Now, three years after retiring from professional basketball in 2022, she is back to guide the next generation.

Notably, 17 players attended the two-day training camp at Duke University. Ten of them were making their senior national team debuts, including Lauren Betts, Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, Veronica Burton, Sonia Citron, Caitlin Clark, Rickea Jackson, Angel Reese, Kiki Iriafen, and JuJu Watkins.

While the roster still includes seven veterans, Bird’s gold-medal pedigree adds something extra. Now she's done evaluating players and will be naming the team for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, scheduled for September 4–13, 2026.

Sue Bird Supports Caitlin Clark Too

Bird has openly expressed admiration for the Indiana Fever star.

“The first thing that came to mind was the Indiana Fever,” Bird said on December 12, 2025. “They did a great job engaging throughout the season. What impressed me most was how she stayed engaged. That speaks to her maturity.”

And Bird isn’t wrong. The former Iowa Hawkeye standout remained present on the sidelines despite being injured. She showed up. She supported her teammates. And that mattered.

So when fans questioned Clark’s readiness at Team USA camp, Bird didn’t hesitate to offer reassurance.

“I thought she looked great,” Bird added. “She didn’t get to play much basketball this summer, or really over the last year-plus. For this to be her first day back, she looked great.”

That was enough to reassure fans that Clark is fully healthy. So, yes, the trust is there, and it runs both ways.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu