Dallas Wings Guard Paige Bueckers Named To 2026 FIBA World Cup Roster

ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas Wings star guard Paige Bueckers was named to Team USA’s 2026 FIBA World Cup roster on Thursday. Team USA will head to Berlin, where games tip off on September 4. 

On that day, Bueckers and Team USA will kick off competition against China at 7:15 a.m. CT.

With the World Cup stretching through September 13, the WNBA will pause its season for the competition, similar to what it did for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Dallas will play a home game against the Connecticut Sun on August 30 and resume play with a matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks on September 17 in Arlington.

Paige Bueckers Named To Team USA’s Roster

Bueckers was considered a lock to make the squad, in the midst of a stellar sophomore season in the WNBA. Behind the 24-year-old, the Wings have already secured more wins than they had last season and Dallas is off to its best start since relocating to North Texas, sitting at 19-12 on the season.

Named to her second All-Star team this July, Bueckers has averaged 20.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists on the season. That production comes on high efficiency, as she is shooting 50.6% from the field, 39.1% from three-point range and 85.1% from the line. 

A year removed from a Rookie of the Year trophy and an All-WNBA 2nd Team nod, Bueckers has been tabbed with another honor with her inclusion in this year’s FIBA World Cup. She’s no stranger to international competition, earning four gold medals across youth and junior levels. 

The Wings are also represented by head coach Jose Fernandez, who will serve as a scout on the coaching staff. Fernandez has experience as a scout at the 2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournament and was an assistant coach for the gold-medal-winning 2025 USA Women’s U19 and the 2024 Women’s U18 National Teams.

The Rest Of The Roster

As for the rest of the team, the Las Vegas Aces are fielding three players named to this summer’s roster: Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and 4-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. 

Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark will represent the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream will be sending Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese to Germany. The Phoenix Mercury will also have two rostered players in Kelsey Plum and Kahleah Copper. 

Rounding out the team are the Minnesota Lynx’s Naphessa Collier and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty.

The Snubs

Fans of the WNBA might be quick to point out some missing names, like Minnesota’s breakout rookie Olivia Miles, Team USA veteran Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty, assists leader Alyssa Thomas in Phoenix or Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell.

Dallas’ Jessica Shepard is having a career-best year, averaging 14.9 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists, but also found herself off Team USA’s roster. Like Miles and Mitchell, her lack of experience with Team USA was likely a knock on her candidacy. It’s also worth considering that Shepard accepted Slovenian citizenship for international play in 2024, although they didn’t qualify to compete in this year’s World Cup. 

The number of snubs that can be identified is a testament to the current depth of talent in the WNBA, especially at the guard position.

Team USA has secured gold medals at each of the last four FIBA World Cups, dating back to 2010. Bueckers, Fernandez and the rest of the team will aim to make that five straight in September.