Caitlin Clark is set to make her FIBA Women's World Cup debut with Team USA on Friday, arriving fresh off a record-breaking August in the WNBA with the Indiana Fever. The Indiana point guard's dominant form has fuelled optimism that the United States could be difficult to beat at the tournament, following a month in which she repeatedly rewrote the league's record books.

Clark averaged 44.7 points scored or assisted per game in August, a WNBA monthly record, while also becoming the first player in league history to post back-to-back games with 30-plus points and 10-plus assists, including 37 points against the Chicago Sky. She recorded five games with at least 20 points and 10 assists during the month, more than any other player managed across the previous five seasons combined, and averaged 24.4 points per game, the highest scoring month by a point guard in WNBA history. The Fever went 7-4 in August to sit 26-14 overall, fifth in the standings, with four regular-season games left before the playoffs once the World Cup break ends.