A'ja Wilson's withdrawal from the FIBA World Cup may have a secret motive: to “steal” the MVP award from Caitlin Clark

A'ja Wilson 's decision to withdraw from Team USA's 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup squad has generated plenty of discussion, particularly because the Las Vegas Aces superstar remains in the middle of another outstanding WNBA season.

USA Basketball announced Monday that Wilson and Kelsey Plum would miss the tournament in Berlin for health reasons. Washington Mystics players Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron were subsequently added to the roster.

Plum's absence is relatively straightforward to understand. The Phoenix Mercury guard was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the WNBA season because of a lower-leg injury after spending significant portions of the campaign dealing with physical problems.

Wilson's situation is less clear publicly, and that has opened the door to speculation about why the four-time WNBA MVP chose to remain with the Aces rather than pursue another international championship.

Rachel A. DeMita was among those to question whether there could be a strategic element to Wilson's decision.

Speaking during a recent broadcast, DeMita acknowledged that Wilson's official explanation was health-related but suggested that preserving her body for the final stretch of the WNBA campaign could have been a major consideration.

“ Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson have actually backed out of playing for Team USA in this FIBA World Cup,” DeMita noted. “Both of them said that the reasoning was due to health reasons.”

She then distinguished Wilson's circumstances from Plum's more visible injury situation.

“Now, A’ja, we don’t know. We haven’t seen A’ja visibly be dealing with anything, and so I personally think that A’ja’s not playing with Team USA because she wants to focus on the W season,” DeMita argued. “She wants to make sure her body is good. She doesn’t want to have to go through more wear and tear again right before the playoffs.”

That theory does not necessarily mean Wilson's decision was motivated by the desire to deny Caitlin Clark an MVP award. Rather, the implication is that Wilson may be prioritizing the individual and team goals immediately ahead of her.

Wilson has plenty to play for with the Aces

The timing is particularly significant because Wilson is attempting to accomplish something that would further cement her place among the WNBA's greatest players.

She has already won four MVP awards, including each of the last two. The official WNBA GM survey conducted before the 2026 season identified Wilson as the overwhelming preseason favorite for the award, with 60% of general managers selecting her.

Wilson has continued to justify those expectations. She is averaging 26.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, while also contributing 3.2 assists and maintaining an elite defensive presence.

DeMita believes the stakes extend beyond the individual award.

“I think A’ja is gunning for another MVP trophy and another Finals, like they want to go back-to-back-to-back,” DeMita claimed. “The Aces want to win again, and I don’t blame her in a sense, either.”

That argument carries some weight when considering Las Vegas' position. The Aces are firmly in the playoff picture, and Wilson's availability will be central to their attempt to make another championship run.

The WNBA's schedule has also created an unusual challenge. The regular season is paused from Aug. 31 through Sept. 16 because of the World Cup, meaning players participating for Team USA face another demanding international tournament before returning to their clubs for the final portion of the regular season and playoffs.

Wilson , meanwhile, gets an opportunity to use that period to recover rather than add several high-intensity international games to her workload.

There is also an important distinction between speculation and established fact. Neither Wilson nor USA Basketball has publicly stated that winning another WNBA MVP was the reason for her withdrawal.

The official explanation remains health-related, and reports indicate that Wilson has been carrying a significant workload this season. The Associated Press reported that she needed the opportunity to rest and prepare for the postseason after playing a major role for Las Vegas.

Team USA must now adjust without its biggest interior star

The Americans will enter the World Cup without one of the most accomplished players in international basketball. Wilson was named MVP of the 2022 World Cup and also earned the outstanding-player award at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Her absence changes the way Team USA will play. Iriafen provides another powerful interior option, while Citron adds versatility and perimeter depth.

FIBA noted that Iriafen previously appeared for the United States during the World Cup qualifying tournament, while Citron is set to make her senior World Cup debut.

Caitlin Clark will remain one of the most closely watched players on the American roster, particularly because her presence gives the tournament another major storyline.

However, Wilson's decision should not automatically be interpreted as an attempt to influence Clark's MVP chances.

The more straightforward explanation is that Wilson has a rare opportunity to protect her body during the league's most important stretch.

For a player chasing another MVP, another championship and potentially another chapter in an already historic career, that could prove to be the most valuable use of the World Cup break.

And if Wilson returns refreshed and leads Las Vegas deep into the postseason, DeMita's theory about the bigger picture may look considerably more plausible, even if there is no evidence that Wilson's decision was specifically made to “steal” the MVP award from Clark.