High Post Hoops

The North Carolina Tar Heels are staring down the beginning of the 2026-27 NCAA season, and this time around, it sounds like they like what they see. In an interview with the Tar Heel Tribune, head coach Courtney Banghart said that the team has something this season that they didn't have last year: experience. "Every coach in the country would rather have the older team, and we finally have older guys," Banghart explained.

A big story in USA Basketball’s pursuit of yet another World Cup gold medal is the team’s youth movement. Six of the twelve players on the roster—Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Angel Reese, and Aliyah Boston—are 24 or younger. Rhyne Howard is also just 26 and making her World Cup debut. Young stars from the USA aren’t just taking over the WNBA.

Team USA successfully defeated their first FIBA World Cup opponent, the Chinese National Team, on Friday. The game highlighted the skills of the full American roster, and every single member of the team scored. Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, who played against and alongside one another on the junior level USA Basketball circuit, each had 14 points in today's match (Clark also added on 11 assists).

Team USA kicked off the 2026 FIBA World Cup with a dominant 94-61 win over the Chinese National Team Friday. All twelve members of the roster scored, a stunning feat in what's only the first game for the Americans. Several players scored in the double digits: Caitlin Clark had 14 points and 11 assists, Jackie Young had 12 points, Paige Bueckers had 14 points, and Rhyne Howard also added another 14 points to the team's tally. Angel Reese put up 9 rebounds.

In many people's eyes, the FIBA World Cup may be a hindrance to the WNBA calendar; however, the talent on display in this tournament is spectacular. Japan's exhilarating win against Mali captured the imagination of many basketball fans. This phenomenal matchup showcased hidden gems in the league and across the globe that many franchises refuse to give ample opportunity to.

Okay, Chicago! Jun 15, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Sparks guard Kate Martin (21) thanks the crowd for her welcome before the game against the Golden State Valkyries in a Commissioner’s Cup game at Chase Center.

It's win-or-bust for the New York Liberty this season. The franchise went all in on a star-studded roster expected to compete at the summit of the regular-season standings. Yet, injuries to key players and poor performances have cast doubt over this team's ability to win a championship. Sabrina Ionescu's worrying scoring form is a major contributor to that uncertainty. If the Liberty star can't rediscover her offensive magic, then the season may already be over.

Sue Bird originally put together a roster that featured Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Rhyne Howard, Kelsey Plum, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, Jackie Young, and A’ja Wilson for the FIBA World Cup in Berlin. Wilson and Plum are now out with injuries, so Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen will fill in. Fans—of course—had some grievances with that roster.

USA Basketball is debuting a senior roster this week at the FIBA World Cup that includes several players who have never competed for the country at this level. That's a very exciting feat, especially since the United States has won the gold medal at the last 8 Olympic Games and the last 9 World Cup tournaments. Team USA's dominance isn't being questioned, and the roster the team sent to Berlin this year is incredibly talented.

This has not been the season the New York Liberty imagined when they re-signed Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu and added Satou Sabally in free agency. Sabally has barely played and is still out; Ionescu is averaging her lowest number of points per game since 2021 while shooting a career-worst 29.5% on 3-pointers; and the team is firmly stuck in the bottom half of the playoff picture.