​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 ImagesThroughout Team USA’s run through the group stage at the FIBA World Cup in Germany, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has come off the bench to mixed results. As the team heads into the knockout stage of the tournament, it seems like it’s going to stay that way.During a press conference ahead of the team’s quarterfinal matchup with Hungary, Team USA head coach Kara Lawson indicated that Clark would remain on the bench.Clark has come off the benchThroughout each of the team’s three knockout-round games, Clark came off the bench, but the results have varied radically.In the first game, Clark led the team with 14 points and 11 assists for a double-double. The next game, though, she had one of the worst performances of her career, missing every field goal and scoring just one point with one assist and three turnovers.Clark bounced back the following game against Czechia, scoring nine points with seven assists.‘I like where we are right now’When asked if Clark would be added to the starting lineup for the knockout round games, Lawson made it clear that she would be sticking with the same starting lineup.“I think that 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 on Wednesday.Clark is not the only young star who has come off the bench this tournament, as Lawson has decided to go with a more veteran starting lineup, leaving WNBA stars like Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese on the bench at the beginning of games.All three of those players – especially Bueckers – have shined throughout the tournament. But it sounds like those other young players won’t be added to the starting lineup, either.“I like where we are right now,” Lawson repeated.The United States has never lost a quarterfinal game in the history of the FIBA Women’s World Cup. We’ll have to see if that holds true with the veteran-heavy starting lineup this week.The post Team USA coach announces decision on Caitlin Clark appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.