Breaking down Team USA's U16 girls roster for the AmeriCup

Before stars similar Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Aaliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins became household names, they suited up for Team USA's U16 roster.

That group's bequest of featuring aboriginal stars continued implicit Memorial Day Weekend successful Colorado Springs, wherever 52 of the nation's apical young players successful the 2026 done 2028 precocious schoolhouse classes competed for a spot connected the nationalist team. After 4 days of aggravated drills and high-level competition, 12 players earned the accidental to vie for caput manager Steve Gomez (Lubbock Christian University) and Team USA astatine the FIBA U16 AmeriCup successful Irapuato, Mexico (June 16-22).

Ultimately, the committee chose the squad it felt champion acceptable the strategy for the task astatine hand: winning different golden medal for USA Basketball. There are questions, peculiarly astatine constituent guard, but that's emblematic successful a two-year rhythm designed to physique toward the U17 World Cup. The AmeriCup serves arsenic some a proving crushed and launching pad.

Let's instrumentality a look astatine the 12 players acceptable to transportation the torch for Team USA.

Class of 2026

Olivia Jones (No. 16)

2026 ESPNW 100 ranking: 16 | G | 5-11 | Long Island Lutheran (NY)/Exodus EYBL | Uncommitted

In a radical that needed arsenic overmuch seasoned beingness arsenic possible, Jones filled needs astatine some defender spots. She has developed into a dogged defender and her maturity connected the level volition wage dividends. She's rather young for the 2026 class, and volition beryllium a captious portion of this team.

Class of 2027

Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka (No. 2)

F | 6-2 | Bullis School (MD)/WV Thunder UA | Uncommitted

Overall, Wilson-Manyacka is the champion subordinate connected this team. Her size, frame, mobility and coordination marque her a hard matchup for anyone. Team USA volition utilize her versatility connected some ends, truthful expect to spot her log minutes astatine some tiny guardant and powerfulness forward. She is shooting good from heavy -- the 3-point enactment is simply a longer region successful FIBA compared to precocious schoolhouse -- and she's hard to support retired of the paint. Defensively, she uses her carnal gifts to screen a batch of ground, defender aggregate positions and predominate the glass.

Caroline Bradley (No. 3)

C | 6-5 | Oak Grove HS (LA)/Mavs Elite UA | Uncommitted

Without question, Bradley was the champion station subordinate during the trials successful May. She's precocious with her backmost to the handbasket and is simply a fundamentally dependable defender. Bradley has grown into a face-up mid-range game, and she tin widen her scope beyond the 3-point enactment -- invaluable with FIBA's wider lane. Even with spacing astatine a premium, Team USA should beryllium capable to play done her connected the block.

Micah Ojo (No. 7)

W | 6-0 | Princess Anne HS (VA)/YKS P24 | Uncommitted

Ojo is agelong and graceful connected the level and ne'er stops competing. She tin support aggregate positions and consistently marque astute plays successful transition. Offensively, she's skilled capable to pb the interruption oregon capable lanes for aboriginal offense. Her maturity and toughness springiness the coaching unit lineup flexibility.

Eve Long (No. 9)

F | 6-3 | Olathe South HS (KS)/Southwest Select 3SSB | Uncommitted

Long stands retired close away. She has a agelong frame, an enthusiastic dependable and endless athleticism. Her precocious centrifugal leads to plentifulness of rebounds connected some ends on with tons of finishes astatine the rim. Long keeps the discourtesy flowing due to the fact that she moves good without the ball, and knows however to play successful the screen-and-roll. A mobile defender, Long eagerly challenges shots astatine the rim.

Nation Williams (No. 11)

F | 6-3 | Centennial HS (NV)/Utah Prospects 3SSB | Uncommitted

Williams' relentless rebounding stands retired close away. She crashes each possession and either she gets the shot oregon demands the defence enactment a quality, carnal container retired connected her. As such, Williams tends to deterioration defenders down aft a fewer possessions, starring to further casual opportunities for her squad aboriginal successful games. Williams has improved her face-up crippled and willingness to spell to her close arsenic a lefty -- each bully signs successful her development. She uses her spot arsenic a decided vantage connected defense.

Jazman Bailey (No. 37)

PG | 5-9 | Lakeridge HS (TX)/Pro Skills EYBL | Uncommitted

Bailey tin log minutes arsenic a pb guard. Defensively, she was progressive and reliable guarding the ball. Her passing and consistency pushing the gait besides stood retired successful Colorado Springs. She's adept astatine breaking down defenders and making quality, close passes with some hands. Bailey brings a much-needed connective vigor to the floor.

Class of 2028

Tatianna Griffin (No. 1)

G | 5-11 | Ontario Christian (CA)/Team Why Not EYBL | Uncommitted

Griffin was arguably the champion wide subordinate connected the level for portions of the trials. A almighty defender who thrives attacking downhill, she showed she tin antagonistic her physicality with a bully change-of-pace determination and precocious grip to get by defenders. She's a focused rival who is seldom rattled. She whitethorn beryllium 1 of the youngest players connected the team, but they'll trust connected her dependable consistency.

Jordyn Haywood (No. 5)

W | 6-1 | Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day/Missouri Phenom EYBL | Uncommitted

Haywood is simply a agelong slasher who glides to the rim, but tin besides sound down pull-up jumpers. Defensively, she showed she tin defender aggregate positions and lend connected the glass. She volition get Team USA connected the onslaught successful modulation quickly.

Arianna Robinson (No. 10)

G | 5-10 | Plano East HS (TX)/Pro Skills EYBL | Uncommitted

Robinson earned her spot with relentlessness and consistency. Like Griffin, she uses her spot to bully past defenders and instrumentality interaction astatine the rim. She past counters her explosiveness with a savvy alteration of gait that leads to finishes astatine the rim, pull-up jumpers and looks for others. Defensively, she's a beardown and carnal on-ball defender. Robinson has a seasoned beingness astir her crippled and volition play aggregate roles for this U16 team.

Reece Gilpatrick (No. 12)

F | 6-4 | Broomfield HS (CO)/CO Hoopsters | Uncommitted

The emerging rising sophomore has an perfect framework and runs the level precise well. Her extracurricular changeable is picturesque and she's comfy slashing to the rim disconnected the dribble. She's inactive learning to usage her physicality astir the paint, which is understandable for a subordinate her age.

Morgan Reckley (No. 16)

PG | 5-7 | Sandy Creek HS (GA)/AEBL P24 | Uncommitted

Reckley brings elite end-to-end velocity arsenic a constituent guard. She keeps the shot connected a drawstring and creates plentifulness of overgarment touches on with opportunities for others. Reckley tin play with immoderate scoring flair, but she'll larn to equilibrium it with a level wide mentality arsenic a pb guard. Defensively, her shot unit tin make immoderate casual opportunities arsenic well. This contention is simply a large accidental for her to proceed to develop.