Tina Charles defends Caitlin Clark after Italy game
Caitlin Clark’s rough outing against Italy sparked criticism during the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. After Clark scored just 1 point in Team USA’s narrow 55-52 win, WNBA legend Tina Charles pushed back on the idea that Clark alone was responsible for the team’s offensive struggles.
Charles argued that Clark and the entire U.S. team struggled to find their rhythm against Italy. Her comments came as Clark prepared for Team USA’s next group-stage game against Czechia.
Clark struggled against Italy
Clark scored 1 point against Italy, making 1 of 2 free throws while missing all 6 field-goal attempts. She also recorded 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist in 18:30 of action.
The performance came one game after Clark posted 14 points and 11 assists against China. Her Italy statistics represented a major difference from her World Cup debut.
Italy limited Team USA offensively
Team USA shot 29% from the field against Italy and made only 8.3% of its 3-point attempts. The Americans finished with 55 points, their lowest total through the opening two games.
Jackie Young was the only U.S. player to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points. Italy also had a chance to force overtime before Cecilia Zandalasini missed a late 3-point attempt.
Charles compared the team’s performance
Charles said Clark had rhythm during the opening game against China, while Team USA also played with rhythm. She said Clark struggled to find that rhythm against Italy, and the team experienced the same problem.
Her comments directly addressed the criticism directed toward Clark after the narrow victory. Charles said she believed separating Clark’s performance from the team’s struggles was unfair.
Charles pointed to alternative ways to contribute
Charles said Clark and Team USA needed to find other ways to affect the game when their usual offensive options were unavailable. She emphasized contributing in different ways when shots were not falling or familiar opportunities were limited.
Her point applied to Clark and the wider U.S. group. Team USA responded with a much stronger offensive performance in its next game, beating Czechia 105-64.
Clark had a strong World Cup debut
Clark opened the World Cup with 14 points and 11 assists in Team USA’s 94-61 victory over China. She also became one of the key statistical contributors during the Americans’ opening group-stage victory.
Her 11 assists were the most by a U.S. player in a Women’s World Cup game since Dawn Staley recorded 12 in 1998. Team USA shot 45% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range.
Team USA entered the tournament as defending champion
Team USA entered the tournament as defending champion. The Americans had won four straight World Cups before the 2026 tournament, including the 2022 championship in Australia.
The 2026 competition features 16 national teams across four groups. The United States was placed in Group D alongside China, Czechia and Italy during the opening round.
Charles brings major WNBA credentials
Charles won the 2012 WNBA MVP award with the Connecticut Sun and earned eight WNBA All-Star selections during her career. She also received nine All-WNBA selections, including five First Team honors.
The former No. 1 overall pick won three Olympic gold medals with the United States. She entered the 2025 season as the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder, according to her official league profile.
Interesting fact: Team USA has not lost a major international game since the 2006 World Cup.
The Italy game secured a quarterfinal place
Team USA’s 55-52 victory over Italy moved the Americans to 2-0 in Group D and secured a direct place in the quarterfinals. Italy fell to 1-1 after the narrow loss, while the United States moved on to its final group-stage game against Czechia.
The victory kept Team USA undefeated at the tournament. Italy had opened the competition with a win over Czechia before falling to the Americans.
Interesting fact: Tina Charles is the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder.
Clark responded against Czechia
Clark scored nine points and recorded seven assists in Team USA’s 105-64 victory over Czechia. She also made three of eight field-goal attempts during the Americans’ final Group D game.
The win completed a 3-0 group-stage record for the United States. By finishing first in Group D, Team USA advanced directly to the quarterfinals without playing a qualification-round game.
Team USA’s offense recovered against Czechia
The United States shot 52.5% from the field against Czechia after shooting 29% against Italy. The Americans also scored 105 points, nearly doubling their total from the previous game.
Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 19 points in the victory. Clark added 9 points and 7 assists as the Americans finished the group stage undefeated.
Team USA advanced past Hungary
Team USA faced Hungary in the World Cup quarterfinals on Sept. 10 in Berlin and advanced with a 108-56 victory. The Americans finished Group D with a 3-0 record and earned direct advancement to the quarterfinals.
Hungary reached the quarterfinals after defeating Japan 84-63 in the qualification round. Team USA will now play in the semifinals after extending its tournament winning streak.
The internet is also talking about Angel Reese revealing the long history she shares with Caitlin Clark that many WNBA fans may not know.
Charles’ comments came during a larger World Cup story
Charles’ remarks arrived as Clark adjusted to her first senior FIBA Women’s World Cup. Clark followed her difficult game against Italy by contributing 9 points and 7 assists against Czechia.
Team USA finished the group stage undefeated and then defeated Hungary 108-56 in the quarterfinals. Clark added 10 points and 9 assists in the victory as the United States advanced to the semifinals.
In other news, Paige Bueckers jokes that Angel Reese gets a special whistle from WNBA referees.
What do you think about Tina Charles’ take on Caitlin Clark and Team USA? Was the criticism fair, or did the bigger picture get overlooked? Like this slideshow and share your thoughts in the comments!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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