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Why are A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum not playing vs Hungary? Are they injured? Know reason behind absence
A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are absent from Team USA against Hungary in the FIBA Women’s World Cup due to health-related withdrawals.
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A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are not playing for Team USA against Hungary in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup quarterfinal. Neither player is on the US roster for the tournament after both withdrew before it began, with USA Basketball citing health reasons.
Both WNBA stars withdrew from the 2026 World Cup before the tournament began, with USA Basketball citing health reasons. They were subsequently replaced by Washington Mystics players Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen.
Why is A’ja Wilson not playing for Team USA?
Wilson withdrew from the World Cup on August 31, just days before the United States opened its campaign in Berlin.
USA Basketball did not publicly disclose a specific injury or medical diagnosis when announcing her withdrawal. The four-time WNBA MVP had been carrying a heavy workload for the Las Vegas Aces, and reports have pointed to the need for rest and recovery as a possible factor.
More recently, Aces coach Becky Hammon provided an update on Wilson's condition. According to USA TODAY, Hammon said Wilson's back soreness had not cleared and that some days were worse than others.
Wilson's absence is a major blow to Team USA. She was the team's leading scorer at the 2024 Paris Olympics and was the MVP of the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup.
What happened to Kelsey Plum?
Plum is also unavailable for the Hungary game because she withdrew from the World Cup before it started.
Unlike Wilson, Plum's physical problem has been more clearly identified. She had been dealing with a calf/lower-leg injury for much of the WNBA season. The Phoenix Mercury subsequently ruled her out for the remainder of the WNBA regular season.
Plum had played only once since August 9 before Team USA's World Cup roster was finalized.
The guard also addressed her absence, saying she had done everything she could to return but had run out of time.
Her withdrawal left Team USA without another experienced guard as the team prepared for its World Cup campaign.
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Who replaced Wilson and Plum?
Team USA brought in Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen after Wilson and Plum withdrew.
Both replacements are Washington Mystics teammates and joined the 12-player World Cup roster in their place. Their inclusion allowed Team USA to maintain a full roster heading into the tournament despite the late withdrawals.
Wilson and Plum are not being rested or left out of the starting five against Hungary. They are unavailable because they withdrew from the World Cup before the tournament began.
