The WNBA All-Star Game is finally here, and Saturday’s event, as usual, features the WNBA’s best and brightest. But this year, with the Olympics kicking off next week, USA Basketball Women’s Olympic Team will take on the WNBA All-Stars in preparation for the Paris Games. Here’s how the teams stack up:
Follow along with Yahoo Sports’ Cassandra Negley for live updates and highlights as WNBA All-Star weekend continues on Saturday.
Live18 updates
And the “next generation of WNBA All-Stars” are here as part of the WNBA and NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program.
1Q: Team WNBA 24, Team USA 23
The loudest in-game cheers are for Angel Reese coming in for that offensive rebound and waiting for it to drain through. It gives Team WNBA the slim lead.
Angel Reese with her first All-Star minutes here late in the first quarter. And pretty quickly Kelsey Mitchell and Kelsey Plum tangle up on the perimeter. Mitchell looked perturbed. Plum smiled it off. Mitchell scores off the inbound play.
WBL legends honored here at All-Star. It is so refreshing to see the league and women’s basketball as a whole lean into its history this weekend, particularly with so many fans new to the game (hi!). If you want to learn a little more about some of them, including Galloway McQuitter and Adrian Mitchell Newell, I highlighted the importance of remembering women’s sports history.
All-Star vets Ogwumike and Bonner coming up big early for Team WNBA. First subs come at 5:37. BG and Wilson are out on the floor together for Team USA against Hamby and Ogwumike. Hamby said earlier they would probably “be smart about this,” indicating she would not receive a lot of playing time. She’s on the USA 3×3 team in Paris.
Oh, how fitting. Diana Taurasi drains a 3 to open up the scoring here in the only place she’s every played WNBA ball.
They love everyone here. Pac-12 country coming in hot for Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum. (Sorry to bring it up, everybody). Phoenix stars Kahleah Copper and Brittney Griner pull big cheers, as do the Team USA starters. But no one receives more love than Diana Taurasi. It’s felt like a celebration of the GOAT here this weekend. Really feels like it could be her final Olympics and WNBA All-Star — but we’ve probably said that in prior years, too, haven’t we?
Truly massive cheers for Caitlin Clark, who is the first Team WNBA starter announced. But the noise continues for Arike Ogunbowale, DeWanna Bonner (a two-time Phoenix champ!), Jonquel Jones (the people loved her 3-point performance) and Nneka Ogwumike.
One potential quirk tonight is jersey numbers. Team WNBA players are wearing their jersey numbers, so Angel Reese and Dearica Hamby are each wearing No. 5. DeWanna Bonner and Arike Ogunbowale will each wear No. 24.
Team WNBA? Yeah, one thing on their mind.
“We were talking about [it] yesterday, and then watching the [Team USA] men today against South Sudan and it got real real, like real real,” Team WNBA head coach Cheryl Miller said pregame. “So with that being said, I know the mindset of the players that I have the opportunity and honor to coach in they they want to win.”
It’s only the second time the All-Star game is being held as Team USA vs. Team WNBA. Unique situation for both sides.
“We are looking for an understanding of how we want to play,” Cheryl Reeve, USA Basketball head coach, told reporters pregame. “We are looking for lineups. We are looking for coaches understanding players and how to bring out the best in them. So we’re trying to accomplish a lot today in all the hoopla that’s going to be happening.”
Team USA and Team WNBA announce their starters
Team USA and Team WNBA have announced their starters, and rookie Caitlin Clark is getting the start. Clark, Arike Ogunbowale, DeWanna Bonner, Nneka Ogwumike and Jonquel Jones are starting for Team WNBA, with Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson starting for Team USA
Team USA starters: Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson
Team WNBA starters: Caitlin Clark, Arike Ogunbowale, DeWanna Bonner, Nneka Ogwumike, Jonquel Jones
Of course Jason Sudeikis is at the WNBA All-Star Game!
Two of tonight’s most-watched All-Stars will be Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The two rookies, who are both competing for the WNBA All-Star team, already had the spotlight on them as they made shots pregame.
First-time All-Star Angel Reese is ready for the game. The rookie arrived in another one of her signature outfits, and when asked by reporters how she was feeling, the Bayou Barbie responded with the truth: “Like a Barbie.”
The Indiana Fever’s All-Star trio arrived at Footprint Center in living color:
Love the collection of WNBA jerseys in Kelsey Mitchell’s outfit
The two teams took the time to pose for some group photos, with the WNBA All-Star squad in their All-Star colors and Team USA decked out in red, white and blue.
Team USA and the All-Stars have arrived
The two teams have arrived at the arena ahead of the matchup, with both Team USA and the WNBA All-Stars arriving in style.
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