Caitlin Clark Sets USA Record With 11 Assists in World Cup Debut as Team USA Routs China 94-61
Team USA opened the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in dominant fashion, blowing past China 94-61, with Caitlin Clark stealing the spotlight in her tournament debut. Clark finished with 14 points, 11 assists, and 3 made threes on 4-of-9 shooting, earning Player of the Game honors with a 22 efficiency rating.
The assist total wasn’t just impressive — it was historic. Clark’s 11 dimes set a new USA record for assists in a player’s Women’s World Cup debut, surpassing the previous mark of 9, set by Alyssa Thomas against Belgium back in 2022. Clark also joined an exclusive club with the performance, becoming just the eighth player to record more than 10 assists in a single Women’s World Cup game since the statistic began being officially tracked in 1994.
She wasted no time setting the tone either, dishing out four assists in her first four minutes on the floor, immediately establishing herself as a facilitator rather than simply a scorer in her first appearance on this stage.
Clark wasn’t alone in producing for Team USA. Paige Bueckers matched her scoring total with 14 points on efficient 6-of-9 shooting, adding 4 assists of her own. Rhyne Howard also finished with 14 points, hitting 4-of-11 from three-point range and adding a steal, while Jackie Young rounded out the standout performances with 12 points, 3 assists, and 5-of-11 shooting.
The 33-point margin of victory reflected complete control from start to finish — every single player on the USA roster scored in the win, a testament to the depth Team USA brought into the tournament despite notable absences from stars like A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, who withdrew from the roster ahead of the tournament due to health reasons.
The win puts Team USA in a strong position early in group play as it continues pursuit of a sixth consecutive World Cup gold medal, with matchups against Italy and Czechia still ahead before the knockout rounds begin.
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