​Aug 22, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts during the second half against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn ImagesLas Vegas Aces star center A’ja Wilson and Phoenix Mercury’s latest add, Kelsey Plum, announced on Monday that they would not participate in this year’s FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup due to injury. The news came as a shock, as Plum has battled a lower-leg injury for most of the 2026 season, but Wilson has been seemingly healthy, playing in all of her last seven games leading up to the tournament.Longtime sports columnist Jason Whitlock called the move “The Queen’s Gambit,” believing Wilson’s decision was a calculated move to add more media pressure on Caitlin Clark if Team USA does not prevail. On his talk show, Fearless, Whitlock went into further detail about Wilson’s real intentions behind not participating.“Wilson is putting the ball, the gold, and the blame in Clark’s hands. Responsibility for winning just landed in Caitlin Clark’s lap. Five days before Team USA opens the World Cup in Germany, A’ja Wilson walked? The official word is a nagging back. She just played 30 minutes Friday in Las Vegas’ last game before the FIBA break; she has played 37 of the Aces’ 40 games this season- normal minutes, normal workload. Then, when China is waiting in Germany, she stepped off the board. Most people are not buying the back injury,” Whitlock said on his show.The Queen’s GambitWhitlock used a chess analogy as he elaborated on what he believes are Wilson’s ulterior motives.“Wilson is the unquestioned most valuable player in women’s basketball; in recent months, internet influencers have mounted a propaganda campaign that Caitlin Clark is the real MVP. On an international stage, Wilson is stepping out of the way and daring Clark to prove it,” Whitlock added.“It is a high-risk bet; Clark just might do it… In chess, the queen’s gambit is one d4, d5, and then second move c4; white offers a pawn she does not intend to lose. Black cannot pocket that pawn for free: accept it, and you grab the material and give up the center; decline it, and you refuse the bait and stay cramped. Wilson is white, Germany is the pawn, and Clark is being invited to take it. Wilson wants Clark to do too much in this tournament and get herself into real trouble. To own gold or bust, on a stage where the defense is bigger, the minutes are uglier, and the highlight machine can not hide a bad series.”Without Wilson, Team USA defeated China 94-61 on their first day of play. Clark came off the bench and still provided 14 points and 11 assists to boost her team to victory, as she was one of the leading scorers on the floor alongside Paige Bueckers (14) and Rhyne Howard (14).The post ‘Responsibility for winning just landed in Caitlin Clark’s lap’: Jason Whitlock thinks A’ja Wilson has secret intentions by skipping World Cup appeare