Spain basketball star Megan DiLeo weighs in on Caitlin Clark's World Cup bench role ahead of semifinal
BERLIN — Megan DiLeo will be looking to lead Team Spain to an upset win over the U.S. in the FIBA Women's World Cup semifinal on Saturday. That means she will be taking on her old friend Caitlin Clark.
But DiLeo, Spain's star center and a 2025 WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces, may have to wait for Clark to come off the bench before seeing her on the hardwood. USA coach Kara Lawson has opted to start veteran Chelsea Gray over Clark at point guard for the U.S.'s first four games, despite Clark putting up superior numbers and playing more minutes.
But DiLeo doesn't believe that Clark not starting will make things any easier for Spain on Saturday.
When asked if Clark not starting on Saturday will put Team Spain at an advantage, DiLeo said, "No, I don't think so. She's just a great player, it doesn't really matter when she goes into a game, she's going to make an impact."
DiLeo added, "We just gotta be ready for her and for the rest of the roster. They're talented, they're deep. It kind of doesn't really matter who comes in."
Saturday will be a reunion for the two Iowa alumni, as DiLeo played for the Hawkeyes from 2015-19, before Clark showed up on campus one year later.
DiLeo said Friday that she helped recruit Clark to Iowa back then.
"I was actually part of the recruiting process that she was kind of going through, figuring out where she wanted to go, as far as that, and she chose Iowa," DiLeo said. "Whenever I go back to visit campus and stuff and she was still playing we would get to interact and stuff, we check in on eachother every once in a while now. Just super happy we get to represent Iowa."
DiLeo added that she hasn't spoken to Clark since they arrived in Germany for the World Cup due to scheduling constraints, but she's "excited" to see Clark on Saturday.
DiLeo won consensus National Player of the Year honors in 2019 and finished her college career with 2,804 points and a school-record 1,460 rebounds. Iowa later retired her No. 10.
Clark became a two-time consensus National Player of the Year and finished her career with 3,951 points, the most in NCAA Division I basketball history. She also led Iowa to consecutive national championship games before the school retired her No. 22.
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
Saturday will not be the first time they have faced each other internationally.
The U.S. defeated Spain 84-70 during the World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico in March. DiLeo scored 15 points for Spain, while Clark finished with seven points and seven assists. Clark was later named the tournament’s most valuable player after leading the Americans to a 5-0 record.
DiLeo became a naturalized Spanish citizen in 2023 and made her debut for Spain at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She averaged 18 points and 9.3 rebounds during that tournament and has remained one of the country’s most important interior players.
She helped Spain reach Saturday’s semifinal with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting during an 89-66 quarterfinal victory over Australia. Spain shot 50% from the field and made 13 3-pointers while eliminating the Opals.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
The Americans delivered an even more dominant quarterfinal performance. They defeated Hungary 108-56 while setting World Cup quarterfinal records for points and assists.
Clark scored 10 points and recorded a game-high nine assists in 20 minutes. She is now third among all players in assists per game at the tournament.
Her best performance came in the opening game against China, when she recorded 14 points and 11 assists without committing a turnover. She struggled during the Americans’ 55-52 escape against Italy but responded with nine points and seven assists against Czechia before nearly recording another double-double against Hungary.
Lawson has continued to use Clark with a younger group of reserves that includes Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. The decision has drawn criticism from some fans, but it has not stopped the U.S. from reaching another semifinal with a 4-0 record.
Spain will enter as a significant underdog based on the countries’ history. The U.S. has won all 11 previous meetings listed by FIBA, including the 2014 World Cup championship game and the gold-medal game at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Americans have also won 34 consecutive World Cup games since losing to Russia in the 2006 semifinals. They are two victories away from claiming a fifth straight World Cup championship.
Spain, meanwhile, is back in the tournament after failing to qualify in 2022. The country has won three World Cup medals but has never captured gold.
Saturday’s semifinal will begin at 6 p.m. local time in Berlin. DiLeo will be trying to lead Spain to its first victory over the U.S., even if doing so requires eliminating the player she once helped bring to Iowa.