Sabrina Ionescu left off Team USA World Cup roster, Breanna Stewart ‘surprised’

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu will not be one of the 12 players representing the U.S. women’s national team at the FIBA World Cup in Berlin next month.

The decision, ultimately made by U.S. Basketball’s senior women’s national team managing director Sue Bird, was notable considering Ionescu’s experience and the stage she’s at in her career. Speaking with members of the media for the first time since the roster was announced, Ionescu was hesitant to describe her omission as surprising. She did, however, call it a disappointment.

“Disappointed, of course,” Ionescu said. “That’s obviously something I wanted to participate in, but I think it’s just maturity. I understand how difficult it is. I’m excited for a lot of the new faces that get to go and have the opportunity to do the World Cup.”

The 12-player roster includes seven first-timers on the World Cup stage in Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese and Jackie Young. Veterans Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson are the returners.

Asked about the decision to leave Ionescu off the roster, Bird gave a vague explanation without sharing any details regarding the strategy behind it, like a desire to prioritize a post presence or the value of a veteran guard like Gray on the global stage. Instead, she said she didn’t view it as a reflection of the Olympic and World Cup gold medalist’s talent.

“There are so many players who have earned the right to be on this team,” Bird said.

Ionescu said what was relayed to her about the decision was roughly the same as what Bird shared during her press conference announcing the roster.

“It’s a tough position that they’re in,” Ionescu said. “They gotta weigh a lot of factors, and I know it’s not easy. For me it’s (about) staying confident in my abilities, knowing obviously my goal is to play LA 2028.”

Ionescu missed the start of the 2026 WNBA season with a left foot injury and then another stint with back soreness but was told the choice did not come down to her injuries, which limited her to 20 appearances this season. Plum has appeared in 15 games this WNBA season due to injury, and Collier just five. Both players made the final roster.

Diana Taurasi, Jewell Loyd, Brittney Griner and Alyssa Thomas are the four other players who were part of the 2024 Olympic roster but will not be competing in Berlin. Taurasi announced her retirement last year while Loyd, Griner and Thomas were not on the last two national team training camp rosters.

Stewart and Howard are the only players on the roster who did not attend either national team training camp in December or April. However, Howard was a part of the 12-player roster for the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico in March. Ionescu attended the USWNT training camp in April.

“For her to be left off the World Cup roster, I was surprised,” Stewart said. “It’s definitely not a nice feeling for her. I feel like she’s taking it in a positive way. She’s talked about, ‘I’m going to use this time to make sure I’m really healthy and ready for our playoff push.’ It’s tough. Team USA, it’s always a tough thing when you have so much talent. But she’s going to hold her head up and she’ll be back.”

Four members of the 2024 Olympic roster did not compete in the 2022 World Cup: Collier, Griner, Taurasi and Young.

Ionescu’s path to making the 2028 Olympic roster hinges on her availability.

“Any time I get a chance to represent the U.S., I’m going to be there,” Ionescu said. “Whatever camps or anything else that there is coming up, but also just supporting from afar. I’m not a jealous person, or someone that kind of, maybe, you feel like you failed or didn’t accomplish something and you come out and badmouth and you’re mad. For me, it’s about uplifting the players that did make the team.”