The U.S. ladies’s nationwide crew has dominated worldwide basketball for years, securing numerous of gold medals at Olympics and World Cups. Nonetheless, there have been some doubts going into this yr’s World Cup. France had come so near beating Group USA on the 2024 Paris Olympics, and most of its gamers entered the World Cup with extra expertise and extra confidence from enjoying within the WNBA. 

Group USA, in the meantime, arrived in Berlin with many newcomers to the worldwide sport and little chemistry and with out A’ja Wilson. This appeared just like the yr somebody would possibly lastly dethrone the U.S.—a risk that began to look all of the extra reasonable after Group USA escaped Cecilia Zandalasini and Italy with an unpleasant 55-52 win within the group section. 

Nonetheless, Breanna Stewart led the USA to a 97-79 win over France for yet one more gold medal. For now, the U.S. continues to be the crew to beat, however it must show it another time in each match going ahead. 

Group USA must show its dominance over and over

Simply because Group USA obtained one other robust win this yr, it doesn’t imply that they are going to simply proceed to cruise by way of worldwide tournaments endlessly. Different groups are nonetheless constructing, rising and catching up and might use this match as studying alternatives and gas. France’s younger core of Dominique Malonga, Carla Leite, Janelle Salaün, Pauline Astier, and Leila Lacan will solely proceed to enhance. The identical goes for Spain’s Awa Fam and Iyana Martin. 

Furthermore, Group USA will undergo a real altering of the guard quickly. Stewart, Jackie Younger, Kahleah Copper, and Chelsea Grey had been all instrumental within the gold medal sport, and Stewart took residence the TISSOTT World Cup MVP award. Younger is the one one in that group who is just not 30 but. They need to nonetheless have the ability to play at a excessive degree on the 2028 Olympics in LA, however quickly sufficient the following technology must take over for good. 

As soon as that occurs, a brand new group of gamers must show its dominance over and over with out gamers, like Stewart, who’ve been both the most effective participant in a number of tournaments or fairly shut. That transition comes with some large questions. Who will likely be a World Cup MVP when Stewart and Wilson are previous their primes or not enjoying anymore? Who will likely be a pacesetter on and off the courtroom when Chelsea Grey hangs up her Group USA jersey? How will Group USA reply because the expertise pool all the world over continues to develop?