“Put the Interests of One Player Over an Entire Team”: Skip Bayless’ Caitlin Clark Opinion Draws Pushback From ESPN Veteran

With five straight wins, Team USA has secured its place in the finals of the 2026 FIBA World Cup, where they are all set to face France on Sunday. But even though the final showdown is just hours away, the debate over Caitlin Clark’s usage continues to be one of the biggest talking points surrounding the Americans and their hopes of clinching a fifth straight gold medal.

The Americans secured a 76-66 win over Spain in the semifinals to move ahead in the tournament. But after the game came to an end, veteran sports commentator Skip Bayless, famous for his controversial takes, took to X and called out head coach Kara Lawson for not putting the 24-year-old Clark in the starting lineup. Bayless’ argument did not sit well with ESPN veteran Cindy Brunson, who pushed back on the idea that Team USA’s approach should revolve around one player.

“I’ve never seen a ‘pundit’ put the interests of ONE player over an entire Team USA where the mission is to win Gold, no matter which players are on the floor. I saw Caitlin Clark celebrating a chance to play for gold w/ her teammates, so if she isn’t bothered, why is this guy?,” Brunson wrote on X in response to Skip Bayless’ earlier X post.

Bayless’ post called out Team USA head coach Kara Lawson, who has been pushing the veteran lineup to start matches.

“Team USA’s 10-point win over Spain was closer than it needed to be. That’s because Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s best player, should start, orchestrate, and be featured more. But of course, Kara Lawson can’t risk a mutiny of veterans. This is all so petty, so dumb, so hard to watch,” Bayless wrote.

Whether Clark is actually the WNBA’s best player is a conversation of its own, but the debate over having her in the starting lineup is not entirely without merit. Considering what Clark has done in the WNBA in 2026, there is certainly an argument for her to receive a larger role. However, this tournament has also shown why Lawson has been cautious with the Indiana Fever guard in her first senior national-team appearance.

In her debut against China, Caitlin Clark finished with 14 points and 11 assists to set the record for most assists by a player in her FIBA World Cup debut. Then against Czechia, she dropped nine points and seven assists before nearly recording another double-double against Hungary in the quarterfinals with 10 points and nine assists.

But for her, that consistency has been harder to find.

Against Spain in the semifinals, Clark played 17 minutes and finished with just one point that came from the free-throw line. She added one assist and one rebound while going 0-for-3 from the field. And this was not an isolated off night. In the group stage against Italy, Clark went 0-for-6 from the field.

There is no denying the talent Caitlin Clark brings to the floor, but international basketball has been a different adjustment, and Lawson has also made it clear that she has no immediate plans to abandon the veteran-heavy lineup that has carried Team USA so far.

“Our starting group’s done a pretty good job of getting us off to good starts, and rotationally from game to game we could change things, but I like where we are right now,” Lawson said when asked about Clark potentially starting before Team USA played Hungary in the quarterfinal.

Veterans have been one of the strongest parts of the Americans’ run in this tournament, and the recent game against Spain backed that up. It almost looked like the Spanish players were going to end the Americans’ run toward another gold medal. But rallying behind Breanna Stewart, who led the team with 16 points and six rebounds, Kahleah Copper, who added 13, and Jackie Young, who finished with 12 points and five rebounds, Team USA eventually pulled away with a 76-66 win.

The results have made it difficult to argue that Lawson’s approach has failed. But what’s more important is that Caitlin Clark herself does not appear to mind.

“This is such a privilege and honor to be here,” she said after the win over China. “I don’t worry about all that (pressure). I’m just excited to go play basketball. I remain confident in what I can do.”

Now, this team-first approach could matter even more against France.

Les Bleues have been among the strongest teams in the tournament and will now stand between Team USA and another gold medal. The Americans cannot afford another slow or uneven performance, particularly after needing a fourth-quarter push to escape Spain.

France also has their own reason to make Sunday’s final personal as they fell to Team USA in the gold-medal game at the 2024 Paris Olympics. So while the debate over Caitlin Clark’s role is likely to continue, the Americans now have a much bigger task in front of them.

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