By admin 
With A’ja Wilson withdrawing from the team days before the start of the 2026 FIBA World Cup, the onus was on Breanna Stewart to be the leader of a U.S. women’s basketball team that had so much intrigue injected into it by certain groups of fans. Many were worried that Wilson’s absence would be costly, especially against a French team they had barely beaten at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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However, Stewart not only became the team’s captain by default, but she also led the team in minutes played, points scored, and rebounds grabbed on her way to becoming the first player in World Cup history to win the tournament MVP award more than once. However, instead of taking the flowers, Breanna paid tribute to her teammates who battled tooth and nail with her in the tournament.
“I’ve been fortunate to play with a lot of amazing players, and this group was really special,” Stewie said after the game. “The way that we were tested on and off the court, we continued to thrive through it. Really proud of them and excited to get this gold and bring it home.”
Stewie’s ready to run it back with @usabasketball for the 2028 Olympics 👀 @ALaForce
“See you in L.A.” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/imuKnJSLxf
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) September 13, 2026
The gold standard
The 32-year-old Stewart had played in the previous three U.S. teams that won the World Cup. She won MVP honors eight years ago in Spain, and a lot of things have happened since then — two WNBA MVP awards, two WNBA Finals MVP trophies, and three WNBA titles. Despite her trophy-laden case, Stewie had to lead by example to get the job done.
Breanna scored a team-high 22 points in Sunday’s title game, and she finished with averages of 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, while also posting an average performance efficiency rating of 18.8.
“I think just being honest. Really being genuine and letting them know how this tournament is, how Europe is, how these teams are always continuing to be better, but we’re the standard. We’ve always have been. We are continuing to do that, especially with this gold medal,” she added.
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And when asked if she was willing to run it back with the same group if they get the call-up for the 2028 Summer Olympics, Stewie did not hesitate to say, “See you in L.A.”
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Target: Los Angeles 2028
With the American ladies securing their fifth straight World Cup title, the focus for USA Basketball will now turn to the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be held in the Americans’ backyard in Los Angeles. With the stakes higher since they will be hosting the Olympics, U.S. women’s basketball team director Sue Bird will have her hands full in the next year or so. However, with how dominant Team USA was on Sunday, Bird already has her blueprint.
For sure, it was coach Kara Wilson’s veteran starting lineup that delivered in the championship game. However, if all goes well, the young trio of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers will become better players in two years, and they should find bigger roles in Los Angeles.
There’s no question that A’ja is still the best women’s basketball player on the planet —she is still the MVP of the WNBA. However, should she decide to sit out the 2028 Olympics, Team USA should be fine for as long as Captain Stewie is around. Hopefully, she stays healthy over the next two years, and USA Basketball can keep at least the core of this World Cup-winning team together.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 2:21 AM.