Before the World Cup got underway, Kara Lawson acknowledged that Team USA is still the most dominant team in the world, but the gap isn’t as large as it once was.

And Team USA got a pretty good reminder of that in their second game of the tournament.

The Americans struggled to find their rhythm offensively, shooting just 29% from the field and a brutal 8% from three, while also missing eight free throws at the line. And it somehow got worse inside.

Team USA went just 10-of-35 in the paint, missing layups and other shots they’d normally knock down with ease.

Italy was a serious test, but it won’t be the last one. With the knockout rounds approaching, the Americans will have even bigger problems to tackle.

The first big problem could come from Mike Thibault’s Belgium.

Led by Emma Meesseman and Julie Allemand, who recently broke the World Cup assist record, Belgium has arguably been the most successful team outside of Team USA in recent years. They’ve won the last two editions of EuroBasket, finished fourth at the 2024 Olympics and fifth at the 2022 World Cup.

The Cats have been perfect through the group stage, taking down Turkey 89-75, Puerto Rico 76-64 and Australia 80-68 to finish undefeated.

If anyone knows what it takes to beat Team USA, it’s Mike Thibault. The Belgium coach has been part of two Olympic gold-medal runs as an assistant with the Americans and has also been named WNBA Coach of the Year three times.

As the tournament moves along, the Cats will certainly be a team to keep an eye on. But there’s an even bigger challenge waiting for the Americans.

Aside from Team USA, France has the most WNBA talent in the tournament, with eight current WNBA players on the roster. And they’ll certainly be looking to get some revenge after coming agonizingly close to beating the Americans in the 2024 Olympics Gold medal match. You can catch the highlights here!

Gabby Williams has been doing a little bit of everything for France, averaging nearly 19 points per game on 50/40/90 shooting splits. But she’s not alone!

Dominique Malonga has become a much more dangerous presence in the paint, averaging 6.7 rebounds per game. And if that wasn’t enough, Marine Johannes has been absolutely cooking from deep, knocking down a blistering 52% of her threes through the group stage.

So far in the tournament, France have absolutely obliterated everyone in their path, beating Hungary 99-53, South Korea 95-69, and Nigeria 111-56.

Three games, three dominant wins. If anyone looks ready to give Team USA a real problem, it’s France.

Okay, enough FIBA for a second. Something big happened in the WNBA too, and we can’t leave it out!

Cathy Engelbert’s retirement announcement came last Friday morning, and considering her contract was already set to expire at the end of the year, many probably saw it coming. What was a little more interesting, though, was the timing. 

Engelbert chose to make the announcement during the FIBA World Cup break, right when the basketball world had its eyes elsewhere.

The questions around Cathy Engelbert’s future as WNBA commissioner really started heating up last fall. Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier publicly called out Engelbert’s leadership and shared details from a private conversation.

Engelbert denied making the comments Collier alleged, but the controversy had already done plenty of damage. And while the WNBA later reached a groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement, it didn’t exactly erase all the tension that had built up.

You can catch the other controversies she was involved in here!

While the end of Engelbert’s tenure has brought more scrutiny than praise, there’s no denying what happened during her time at the helm. She oversaw the WNBA through arguably the most successful period of growth in league history. 

Engelbert first helped steer the league through a $75 million capital raise, a crucial move that helped stabilize the WNBA. Then came the monster 11-year, $3 billion media rights deal, giving the league its first billion-dollar media agreement, according to The Athletic.

And she didn’t stop there. During her tenure, the WNBA and WNBPA reached the historic 2026 CBA, bringing a massive jump in the salary cap from $1.5 million to $7 million.

Engelbert was brought in at a time when the WNBA needed to grow, stabilize and find its footing. But the WNBA has changed dramatically since then. And now, the league needs someone who can keep the business moving forward while also understanding what this moment demands. 

Nneka Ogwumike and Swin Cash are already being mentioned as potential candidates for the job. But who do we think should be the WNBA’s next commissioner? Check out our full breakdown here! 

Rena Wakama’s Nigeria came into this World Cup with plenty of confidence, hoping to recreate the magic of 2018 when they reached the quarterfinals for the first time.

They had plenty of reasons to believe, too.

The D’Tigress had just won their fifth straight continental title and reached the Olympic quarterfinals for the first time ever. And with several players bringing experience from playing in the United States, they had the talent to make some noise in Berlin.

Several players on Rena Wakama’s roster were either born or developed in the USA, came through the NCAA or have WNBA experience.

Portland Fire’s Amy Okonkwo started her college career at USC before transferring to TCU, where she went on to win Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year. Ezinne Kalu also made her mark in college at Savannah State, finishing her career as the first player in program history to score more than 2,000 points.

Then there’s Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, who spent four seasons at Northwestern, becoming one of the Big Ten’s leading rebounders before eventually getting an opportunity with the Chicago Sky in 2019.

Wakama herself is an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky, but that American connection couldn’t translate into results in Berlin. Nigeria dropped its first two Group B games to South Korea and Hungary before France handed the D’Tigress an 111-56 loss to cap off a winless group-stage run.

The World Cup has given us plenty of young stars to root for, too!

Let’s start with Spain’s Iyana Martin.

The Portland Fire guard decided to sit out this WNBA season to focus on preparing for the World Cup, and that decision is already looking like a pretty good one. Martin has been all guns blazing for Spain, making an immediate impact on the biggest international stage.

After Spain’s win over Japan, Martin became the first player under 21 in the 21st century to score 20+ points in back-to-back World Cup games.

Remember when Portland’s decision to draft her was questioned? Yeah, that’s looking like a pretty good pick right about now.

Then there’s Dominique Malonga, the youngest player ever to dunk in a WNBA All-Star Game.

The 20-year-old has been a rock for France defensively, making her presence felt all over the paint. She’s looked far more comfortable dominating inside this time around, showing exactly why so much was expected of her when she first burst onto the scene.

And if you want to see just how special Malonga can be, her highlight reel against Hungary is a must-watch!

Another Fire player who has taken the World Cup by storm is Germany’s Frieda Buhner.

Berlin may not be getting to see their hero Satou Sabally in action, but Buhner has certainly given the home crowd something to cheer about in her absence.

The German forward has 40 points across her last two games and is currently leading the team in scoring. And it’s not just the numbers either. Some of the plays she’s made in this tournament have been absolutely breathtaking.

And Buhner isn’t the only young player making noise. Spain’s Awa Fam, Japan’s Kokora Tanaka and Mali’s Sika Kone are just a few of the other rising stars who have impressed so far.

The stage is set for the knockout rounds! And if the FIBA World Cup format has you scratching your head, don’t fret. We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about how it works!