The old format is back. What you need to know about the WNBA All-Star
Tonight, the Footprint Center in Phoenix, USA, will host one of the main events of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) season – the All-Star Game.
This match is unique among All-Star formats, as it features the USA Women's National Team against other WNBA stars. This format was first introduced in 2004 when the USA Women's National Team played an exhibition game against WNBA stars before heading to the Athens Olympics. In the years of the Summer Olympics, the All-Star Games were canceled.
However, fans witnessed a similar format once more in 2021, with another All-Star Game pitting the WNBA team against the USA National Team. The results of these two matches are tied. In 2004, the national team won (74-58), while in the most recent game, the WNBA stars prevailed (93-85).
A total of 24 players will participate in the upcoming WNBA All-Star Game. The largest contingent comes from the WNBA champions of the past two seasons – the Las Vegas Aces – with four players selected. Three players each were called up from the Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Phoenix Mercury.
The head coach of Team USA will be Cheryl Reeve, the current head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. Leading the WNBA stars will be the legendary basketball player and former Phoenix Mercury coach, Cheryl Miller.
In the lead-up to the All-Star Game, traditional three-point shooting and skills challenge competitions took place. The three-point contest was won by Allisha Gray from Atlanta, who also triumphed in the skills challenge. Notably, the reigning three-point contest champion Sabrina Ionescu and NCAA Division I women's record holder for most three-pointers made, Caitlin Clark, withdrew from the first competition.
The WNBA All-Star Game will take place tonight, with the tip-off scheduled for 2:30 AM Central European Time (8:30 PM local time ET).
Liam Garcia
Dailysports's expert
