The 2024 WNBA All-Star Sport suggestions off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 20 on the Footprint Heart in Phoenix, AZ (ABC), when the 12 WNBA All-Stars will meet the 12 members of Group USA.
TEAM WNBA: DeWanna Bonner (Connecticut Solar), Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), Allisha Grey (Atlanta Dream), Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks), Brionna Jones (Connecticut Solar), Jonquel Jones (New York Liberty), Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Angel Reese (Chicago Sky)
TEAM USA: Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury), Chelsea Grey (Las Vegas Aces), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Dianna Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Solar), A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Jackie Younger (Las Vegas Aces)
In 2021, the primary time a workforce of WNBA All-Stars confronted off towards the USA Basketball Girls’s Nationwide Group, the All-Stars refused merely to salute the purple, white and blue, as MVP Arike Ogunbowale scored a game-high 26 factors to steer the All-Stars to a 93-85 victory. Jonquel Jones added a double-double of 18 factors and 14 factors for the All-Stars.
Ogunbowale and Jones once more are suiting up for the All-Stars towards the American Olympians, and so they doubtless are intent upon attaining an identical outcome. Quickly after the members of Group USA had been revealed, Ogunbowale shared that she determined to withdraw from consideration for the Olympic workforce, an expression of her frustration with the what she noticed as a political, fairly than meritocratic, choice course of. Ever a competitor with a penchant for enjoying her greatest when the lights are brightest, Ogunbowale absolutely might be motivated to remind all that—gold medal or not—she is among the many recreation’s elite. Nneka Ogwumike, herself an Olympic snub for the 2020 Video games, doubtless sympathizes with Ogunbowale. Caitlin Clark’s legions of followers, most of whom believed the rookie belongs on Group USA, likewise hope she additionally exhibits the nationwide workforce what they’re lacking.
Fellow rookie standout Angel Reese, 3×3 Olympian Dearica Hamby and DeWanna Bonner persistently play with the sort of fireplace that means they’ll be able to take it to Group USA. Add within the regular presences of Aliyah Boston and Brionna Jones, the sharpshooting of Kayla McBride and Kelsey Mitchell and the grit of Allisha Grey. The All-Stars have the attitudes and talents to once more defeat the Olympians.
Will Group USA goal to make sure that their quest for an eighth-straight gold medal is preceded by an All-Star Sport triumph, taking part in with the requisite depth and intentionality? Or, will preserving their energies for the upcoming Olympics be the precedence, ensuing within the workforce working in second gear for a lot of the sport? Let’s hope it’s the previous, with the Olympic squad seeing the sport towards the All-Stars as a perfect tune up for Paris.
If that’s the case, the sport may very well be shut down the stretch of the fourth quarter, that means who finishes for every squad—fairly than who begins—will matter essentially the most. For Group USA, three gamers stand out as virtually assured closers: A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Chelsea Grey. Wilson and Stewart are the world’s greatest gamers, whereas Grey’s management within the clutch is unparalleled. Within the backcourt with Grey, Group USA head coach Cheryl Reeve should select between Jewell Loyd, Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum, Kahleah Copper and Dianna Taurasi. Yeesh. The frontcourt choice could be much more tough. Does Reeve go even greater with the rim safety of the 6-foot-9 Brittney Griner? Would she favor the flexibility of Napheesa Collier or Jackie Younger? Or, would she merely go for the all-round power of Alyssa Thomas?
Girls’s basketball legend Cheryl Miller might be making the tough selections as head coach of Group WNBA. Miller must rediscover the contact and techniques that resulted in her main the Phoenix Mercury to 70 wins throughout 122 video games (1997-2000) because the franchise’s first head coach.
Cheryl vs. Cheryl. All-Stars vs. Olympians. Black, orange and pink vs. purple, white and blue. So long as everybody escapes injury-free, we’re all winners.
Sport data
Group WNBA vs. Group USA
When: Saturday, July 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET
The place: Footprint Heart in Phoenix, AZ
The right way to watch: ABC
