Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the WNBA’s highly anticipated 20th All-Star Game is the unlikely pairing of league greats, notably rookie sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese setting aside their reputed rivalry and joining forces during Saturday night’s spectacle.
And in other cases, Storm teammates Nneka Ogwumike and Jewell Loyd will temporarily suspend their mutually beneficial partnership and square off against each other on one of the game’s biggest stages.
“Honestly, I haven’t put much thought into matchups or anything like that,” said Ogwumike, who is making her ninth All-Star Game appearance, which is tied with Tina Thompson for the fifth most in league history. “Maybe when the game gets closer, I’ll think about actually playing against this person or that person and things like.
“More than anything, the All-Star Game for me is a chance to recognize and honor some very elite women in our game. … I feel very fortunate and honored to be included among them and even though this is my ninth one, I don’t take it for granted.”
Loyd, who is making her sixth trip to the All-Star Game, ranks third in Storm history behind Sue Bird, who holds the WNBA record with 13, and Lauren Jackson (seven).
“The beauty of the All-Star Game is fans get to see the best players in one game like it’s fantasy basketball or a video game,” Loyd said. “Personally, I like being in that kind of environment where you’ve got the best in the world all together for a couple of days.
“There’s only a handful of people who know what we go through on a daily basis [and] who know what it’s like to not only be there for our teams and what it takes to play at a high level in this league. … More than competing against them, I enjoy just being with the [other All-Stars], talking with them and getting to know everyone a little bit better.”
Last year, Loyd set WNBA All-Star Game records with 31 points and 10 three-pointers while leading Team Stewart to a 143-127 win over Team Wilson and taking home the Most Valuable Player Award.
When asked what she has plans for an encore, Loyd said she’s more intent on prepping for next week’s Paris Olympics.
“For us, [the All-Star Game] is our tuneup and we take it pretty seriously because we don’t get a lot of practice time together,” said Loyd, who is returning to the Olympics for the second time with Team USA. “We’ll have some schemes and we’ll be locked in, but we’ll have some fun, too.
“Obviously, we know we’ll be in shape, so that’s a plus. But just getting the timing, play calls and everyone on the same page is super important.”
This year’s midseason showcase will look different from most and will be just the second time the WNBA will pit a 12-player All-Star team against the U.S. women’s national team that’s using the game as a dress rehearsal before next week’s Paris Olympics.
The U.S. women, who haven’t lost an Olympic contest since 1992 and are seeking an eighth consecutive gold medal, open against Japan on July 29 in a rematch of the Tokyo Olympic final.
Three years ago, the WNBA All-Stars upset Team USA 93-85 behind a 26-point performance from Dallas Wings standout Arike Ogunbowale, who claimed MVP honors.
Ogunbowale highlights the WNBA All-Star squad that includes three Indiana Fever, including Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Clark.
Despite their modest 10-14 record and being eighth in the league standings, Indiana tied league leaders New York, Connecticut and host Phoenix for the second most All-Star participants in large part because of Clark’s massive popularity and legion of fans who have set attendance home and road records this season.
This year marks the first sellout in WNBA All-Star Game history, though resale tickets are still available on Ticketmaster ranging from $150 to $3,322 at the 18,422-seat Footprint Center.
Grammy-winning artist Pitbull will perform at halftime during Saturday’s game, which begins at 5:30 p.m. on ABC.
“It’s a big deal,” Mercury owner Matt Ishbia said this week during an ESPN interview. “The truth is the WNBA has been doing great for a long time and it’s really coming together right now. We think Phoenix is one of the best basketball cities in the country and we really want to show out. … We’re going to have a big crowd.”
Three-point letdown
Fans hoping to see dream 3-Point Contest matchup between last year’s winner Sabrina Ionescu and Clark, who is renowned for her long-distance logo threes, will have to wait at least another year.
This year’s participants include: Washington’s Stefanie Dolson, Atlanta’s Allisha Gray, New York’s Jonquel Jones, Connecticut’s Marina Mabrey and Minnesota’s Kayla McBride.
Last year, Ionescu made a dazzling debut in the shooting contest while setting a WNBA and NBA record with 37 points in the final round.
The 3-point Contest is the main event on the first night of WNBA All-Star weekend, which begins 6 p.m. Friday on ESPN.
Skills Challenge field unveiled
At 6 foot 9, Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner is possibly the tallest participant in the history of the Skills Challenge, which is normally reserved for fleet-footed guards.
Griner will pit her point-guard skills against Mercury teammate Sophie Cunningham, Connecticut’s Mabrey, Indiana’s Erica Wheeler and Gray.
3×3 Showcase debut
The WNBA is unveiling a new 3×3 competition featuring the Team USA, which is heading to next week’s Paris Olympics against the U23 national team.
The exhibition will be played on a half-court with a 10-minute clock, and the first team to 21 points wins.
Team USA includes Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard, Los Angeles’ Dearica Hamby, former WNBA player Cierra Burdick and TCU’s Hailey Van Lith, the Wenatchee native who starred at Cashmere High.
Note
- Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller will be the coach of Team WNBA. She never played in the WNBA, but Miller compiled a 70-52 record during a four-year stint (1997-2000) as the Mercury head coach and guided them to the 1998 WNBA Finals.
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